Never Say Yes
by beautiful.ivory
Summary: Bella is the working at a journalism company, and she has a strict no-dating policy, period. Especially with people from the office. But when a new employee, Edward Cullen, decides that Bella is what he wants, can she keep him away from her everything and keep her feelings in check?
1. Chapter 1

**Bella is the boss at a journalism company, and she has a strict no-dating policy, period. Especially with people from the office. But when a new employee, the cocky and celebrity among the ladies, Edward Cullen, decides that Bella is what he wants, can she keep him away from her?**

**No copyright infringement intended. All rights go to their respective owners.**

**Chapter One**

'Bella, are you ready yet?' Emmett Cullen called out to me from our living room. I knew he was getting impatient, but today was the first day back to the office. I had to look presentable.

'Almost, just finishing my makeup.' I called as I put the last layer of mascara on my lashes. I checked my hair in the mirror, and thought I looked okay.

'Yes, by all means, we're the bosses and we're late to meet the newbies. That'll give off a great impression.'

Emmett and I we're best friends in college, and he was like a brother to me. Despite his annoying moments, most of the time we were buddy-buddy. We lived together after college because we both got job offers at the same time to the same company, and we couldn't afford a place of our own, so we bunked. He was my boss though, but we didn't talk about work at home. I was just under him in the ladder in the company hierarchy, because he got promoted last year. But I got promoted soon after, and I was convinced he had something to do with it. I really needed to get the next promotion coming up soon though, Emmett's girlfriend Rosalie would move in soon, maybe a couple of months, and I'd be expected to move out. I didn't want to tell Rosalie I didn't have the money to though, she would go crazy, and she already didn't like me, and I had no idea why.

'Ready.' I said as I walked out to meet him, dressed in his casual suit and me in my formal business clothes, trousers and a jacket. 'How do I look?'

'Perfect. Professional. Do you have the keys?'

'Thanks. And no. It's your car. Why would I have the keys?' Emmett sighed heavily. 'Shit. Where are the keys?'

'I'll help you look.' We searched around the apartment for the keys, which didn't take long since it's a small apartment. It was actually a pretty nice place when you cleaned it up, because Emmett was loaded from his parents. I could never afford the rent in Seattle on my own. That would have been impossible. My parents gave me enough money to get on my feet, but after that I was independent, and I liked it.

'Where are the shitting keys?!' Emmett yelled from his room as I looked in the kitchen, and Emmett was in a rage.

'Emmett, they're here next to the eyebrow tweezers. Do you have something you need to tell me?'

I smiled at the doorman as we passed and exited into the drizzle of rain that was a customary expectation living in Seattle. I skipped towards the crosswalk and skitted across, whistling to hail a cab. After two minutes and no one pulled over, Emmett came out a wolf-whistled. A cab came running.

We stepped into the building exactly two minutes before we had to be here. We stopped briefly at the front desk to check in. I quickly showed them my I.D. and ran off to Victoria's office where the new employee's would be waiting. Fifth floor. I hurried towards the elevator and stepped inside, already pushing the button, as Emmett dived in through the gap for dear life. As the elevator went up, I checked my phone. Five missed calls from Victoria. She would be pissed. I marked this date on my calendar on my phone, January 28th. Six months from now the promotion would be granted, and I needed to work hard and get it. I had the promotion on the brain. It was all I could think about. I was obsessed with getting the job. I love my job, and I wouldn't probably get a date until I was fired or retired. I was married to it.

The elevator dinged and we ran out, into the hallway outside Victoria's corporate office. We could hear chatter so I straightened my clothes and walked inside, Emmett right behind me, holding my breath.

Victoria glared at me for a fraction of a second as we had interrupted her talk to the new ones before she smiled and introduced us. About fifteen new employees sat on the long table and she stood up front with a PowerPoint playing. Emmett and I took seats behind her next to the other bosses, smiling at the employees who were staring at us. Emmett was a ladies man, and the majority of people staring where women. Before he met Rosalie, it was parties, drinking and women. Mainly women, and even now he's got a girlfriend, women still throw themselves at his feet. Women loved him. Men envied him.

'Okay, now that everyone's here, employees, managers, _latecomers._' She eyed me and Emmett before continuing. I blushed right down to the roots of my brown hair. Emmett held in a snort.

'I'll begin with the presentation. You have all been selected to work here at the Sutherland Journalism Incorporated. This job is highly competitive and selective, so I congratulate you on your achievement so far. This job is mainly a job where you will be selected to go watch different athletic games in other states and towns and report on them, where afterwards you will come back to the Seattle Office and will write a detailed and professional report. The best report at the end of each fortnight will be selected by me to enter into the Seattle Times.' Victoria finished, and people oohed and chatted, excited about the prospect of having their work entered into a newspaper that would be sold in some of the main cities in America. We had a corporate office in New York and the Seattle Times is distributed in the big apple. That was the promotion. To go work in NY.

'However, this year, some things are going to be different.'

Different? I hadn't heard about this. I looked around the room at the other managers, bosses who would need to give approval before there was a change in the system. The others nodded and continued listening, even Emmett looked indifferent. No one told me about this.

'I have just received word that James, the head of the New York office is allowing us to take part in the Olympics that will happen this year. This is a huge offer and I trust that each of you will do your best.'

What?

'Since the Seattle Times will need to cover every athletic event, for a special edition newspaper there will be too much work for everyone to do on their own. You will go in pairs, bosses to employees, and cover the event you are given in London in two months. Full access. The person who does the best issue will be promoted. Bosses and employees.'

What? My head was spinning, everything felt dizzy and only Victoria's wild red hair and slim figure was all I could make out.

'Until the Olympics comes around, you will be paired with your bosses and will do a few articles on them to get used to each other's writing style and work ethic.'

Okay. This seems reasonable. The Olympics is a huge event to cover and my partner and I will work hard. This seems doable. The world slowed down a bit.

'Now. Partners. Emmett – Eric Yorkie, Jessica – Angela Webber, Bella – Mike Newton…'

I saw a boy who was waving at me enthusiastically. He had heavily gelled hair and bright blue eyes. He looks almost cute. I waved back. Dateable.

'Wait, sorry, Bella you're actually with Edward Cullen. Newton – you're with Dimitri…'

The boy stopped waving and blushed, looking disappointed. I smiled at him encouragingly and scanned the room for my new partner. I detected someone looking toward my direction and saw a man. Not a boy like Newton, but an actual young man. He nodded toward me and I knew this was my partner. Cullen. It had a ring to it. I faintly remembered the name, but I had never seen this man before.

When he nodded at me, I nodded back. He didn't seem enthusiastic, so I didn't show him any enthusiasm either. I'm his boss and he payed me respect. But would it kill him to give a wave? A hand flourish? A smile? To be polite?

Victoria finished her presentation, and Cullen and the rest of them went to go and make room in our offices to work with us, since it would be more 'efficient.' Note the sarcasm. I cornered Victoria, and even though she was my boss we were usually on good terms. The other bosses started to leave.

'What the hell, Tori? You didn't even warn me! Now I have to work with a newbie who has no idea what they are doing, and the promotion is on the line in six months.' A few of the people looked at us, but quickly left with a look from Victoria.

'Chill out, Bells. I put you with Cullen because he's the best new one to come around in a while. I thought you would be thanking me, we're doing an edition on the Olympics! You get to go to London. Yes, it's a bit more competitive, but you'll do fine. You should be crying at my feet with joy.'

'But you didn't even tell me, a little warning would have been nice! Jesus, I am so freaked out right now.'

'Check your phone.' Victoria nodded towards my handbag that was abandoned on a chair in the conference room.

'What?'

'Check it.'

I was scowling as I yanked my bag off the chair and dug around in my purse. I grabbed my phone and checked it.

'Five missed calls. Oh.'

'Yes. I tried to tell you. This will be a good opportunity Bella, if you do this well you will be able to go to any journalism company in America, even the world if you wanted it. I'll give you my recommendation. Just keep your head on. Instruct Cullen, teach him, and you too will do well. If you need someone to blame, blame Emmett. He didn't tell you, did he?'

'No, but we never talk about work at home. He must have assumed I knew.'

She shrugged and headed towards the white door that led into the hallway that led off into our offices. My office. Cullen and I's office. I downed a shot glass from the minibar in the corner and looked out the window at the rainy Seattle. Victoria was right. This was huge. I needed to get over it and work hard. The shot gave me a bit of a buzz. I was never good at holding my liquor.

I put the shot glass back on the minibar and walked out the door and found my office. I admired the plaque on the door. 'Swan's office.' I remember the day I got it no one would put it up for me so I had to nail it myself. It was slightly lopsided. I walked in and was slightly surprised to see Edward, was it? Standing up and putting things from a brown cardboard box on my desk. We would have to share it, so I would be at one end of the rectangular desk and he would be on the other. The bookcase was already fuller than I remembered it.

He hadn't seen me, so I shut the door and took a step towards him, tripping on a box of books in the way.

'Argh.' I gasped as I fell. I wasn't drunk, I was just clumsy. My hands shot out in front of me and braced for impact. Like all romance movies I half expected him to reach out and stop me from hitting on the ground. But life isn't a romance movie. I hit the floor face first, thankful that I opted for carpet to land on and not the wooden floorboards. I moaned as my body hit the floor and I heard a snort coming from beside me. My eyes fluttered open and saw Cullen looking down at me, cocking his eyebrow.

I had never been infatuated with boys. During high-school and college for the most part I was single, but no one really struck out to me. But boy, this man did.

His face looked too perfect, sculpted and angular, symmetrical, even. He had pale skin, just like me, but reddish brown hair, messed up to look carefree. Not the heavily gelled look Newton was sporting, but like it was natural. His nose was straight, and I was instantly attracted to his eyes. They looked hazel at first sight, but when you were looking at them closely you could see shades of emerald green and gold. He had eyebrows like any normal guy, but even his eyebrows were entrancing. That was a first. Entranced by someone's eyebrows. He was wearing dress trousers and a loose button up white shirt, casually formal with a green tie. It brought out his eyes. It looked like he was muscular though, by the way the fabric tightened at his back, casting small shadows of muscle shapes. I licked my lips.

'Are you drunk?' He asked as I stood up, scowling, an irritable attitude on. Even that voice. Deep, quiet. Velvety, soft.

'Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking.' He just looked at me incredulously, and I stuck out my hand and smile. 'I'm Bella Swan. Nice to meet you.'

'I know. Edward Cullen.' He didn't smile back, just shook my hand. With that one touch, I got tingles. It was stupid, but I was feeling goose bumps rise all over my body. I shivered, and he was looking at me, smiling crookedly. With one hand, he reached out to touch my hand again, I shivered when his hand lightly brushed with mine, and he smiled. Then muttered. 'Interesting.' He turned around and went back to laying his stuff out on the desk.

I took a step back, crossing my arms.

We stood in awkward silence door a moment, scowling at each other. I shook off my attitude, because this was going to be hard enough without starting an all-out wall between my colleague and me.

I opened my laptop and started to write a few e-mails, firstly to James thanking him for this opportunity and then internet-stalking Cullen, even though he was only a few feet away from me. I read some interesting stuff until I came across where he went to college.

'You went to Yale?' I blurted out unthinkingly. I had just blown that I was spying on him via internet.

'Yeah. Finished three years ago. Where did you go?'

'Princeton.'

'Nice.'

He went back to packing, and even though he didn't look it, I felt incredibly awkward. Small-talk was never my best effort.

'Um, listen Edward, I really think that we should get to know each other if we're going to be working together this year. Not anything personal, just general stuff.'

He looked at me, expectantly. I bucked under the pressure. Staring out the window and the water droplets down the glass, I spoke.

'I'll go first. I'm twenty-two. Went to Princeton, live with my friend Emmett. Mom and Dad divorced. Single. Only child. Favourite colour purple. Shakespeare's my favourite author. You go. '

'Twenty-three. Went to Yale. Live in an apartment with my friend Jasper. Mom and Dad dead. Raised by aunt and uncle. Not really single. First born out of two, sister Alice. Favourite colour blue. Don't have a favourite author.' He looked straight at me, and for some reason he was just annoying me by looking at me like he didn't want me there.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to tell me anything you didn't want me to know.'

'It's fine.'

Something about the way he was talking just irritated me. Like he wanted to get rid of me.

So instead of irritating him further just by being alive, I stormed out the door. I was over-reacting, but I couldn't help it. 'Asshole,' I muttered as I closed the door. I'm pretty sure he heard me, because I heard a laugh.

'Not really single? What the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway?' I ranted across the living room, Emmett lying on the couch flicking through the sports channels.

'It means he's a player, Bella.'

'No way.'

'Way.'

'No. He's so silent. Aren't they usually cocky?'

'He's silent at the job. Take him to the club and he's making out with the first girl who says 'hello.''

'How do you know?'

'Please. I'm that guy. I invented guys like this Edwardo you speak of, before I met Rose.'

'Well, he's not going to play with me.'

'Right.' Emmett snorted into his beer.

'What?!' I yelled, snatching the remote out of his grasp and forcing him to look at me.

'Bella, he's already in your head. I know that you haven't had a date in like a year, but you're not immune.' He looked at me, smiling slightly, like he knew something I didn't.

'I'm his boss!'

'So?'

'So I could get fired!'

'True.'

'I hate this. Do you think Victoria would let me have Newton instead?'

'Newton? He's like a puppy. Hopeless. If you want that promotion you won't get it with him.'

'I hate my life.'

'You'll get over it. Go eat some ice-cream and you'll stop being such a girl.'

'I'm telling Rose if you don't shut up.'

''Tell her what? I'm an innocent little angel.' The last thing anyone ever expected Emmett to be would be an angel.

'I'll tell her about your playboy stash behind the toilet tank.'

'Shutting up now.'

'But seriously, Edward Cullen, no girl would be around him, he's an irritating little shit.'

'What? Edward. Cullen? His last name is Cullen? Edward. Cullen?' He stopped flicking the channel and looked at me, a boyish smile spreading over his cute face and making dimples. It was scaring me. He only gets that look when he's planning something or shitting.

'Yeah. What about him?'

'Do you realise that Cullen's my last name too?'

'Yeah, it's a common name. What about it?'

'He's my cousin.'

After that breaking development, and Emmett's teasing, I stormed off to be with the shits, and Emmett's promise to call Edward and make a dinner date with him, I threw a pillow at his head, went into my room, and starting thinking about what I ever did in a past life.

'Bella's got to work with my cousin. Bella and Edward sitting in a tree. W.r.i.t.i.n.g…'

'I'm telling Rose!' Emmett shut up, and I submerged into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Some Men Are Born With Greatness, Some Women Are Born With Stupidity. My second chapter. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. **

'I hate you, I hate you, I hate you so much Emmett!' I screamed as soon as I got home from work. Rose was with him in the longue room watching TV, but I didn't really care.

'You owe me so much! I told you I didn't want to go!' I yelled as I stomped into the lounge room, ready to kill him.

'Oh B, you've been complaining about never going to dances because you can't dance. In this one you don't even have to.'

'That's not the point. I hate work functions. People hit on you, you get dressed up, and you listen to bad music and go home. It's not worth it. I have to write an article on the Forks High Baseball game anyway. I'm not going.'

Rosalie, who was clutching Emmett's arm, looked at me and whispered into his year. 'Did she forget to take her Zanax this morning, babe?' Emmett started to laugh but with one look at me he pretended to be coughing. 'What time does it start, Em?'

'You're seriously going to go? You, queen of staying home with a tub of Ben and Jerry?' I shot daggers at Rose.

I was so sick of hearing jokes about how much of a nerd I was because I never went partying. Rose and Emmett met at a party, and just once, I wanted to prove Rose wrong and stop her making lame jokes.

'Eight. Finishes until late night, early morning, I'm guessing. Rose is coming too.'

'Great.' I muttered under my breath, I didn't really want to have a fight with Emmett over Rose.

'I don't think I'll have anything to wear though. Would jeans and a t-shirt be okay?'

'I'll help you find something,' Rose volunteered. 'Seriously? That'd be great Rose, thanks.' I replied, raising an eyebrow at Emmett. He looked as taken aback as I felt.

'Sure. Go for a shower and I'll pick out an outfit.'

In a surprised trance, I did what she said, and thought back to the events of the day.

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Katy Perry song to wake up to the day. Hit it John!_

_How do I get closer to you__  
__when you keep it all on mute?_

I slammed my hand down on the alarm and then cried out in pain. Not a smart move.

I woke up feeling good about the day. I would do work, be a slave to the keypad on my laptop at work, and keep conversations with Edward to a bare minimum except about the Olympic articles. I already knew what sport we would be covering, Victoria had e-mailed me about fifty times about it, giving me all the details to write an efficient piece. I would tell Edward today that we were doing Baseball, and like all testosterone fuelled males, they're would be lots of fist bumping and cries of joy. Emmett just about begged me to swap with him. He was doing men's water polo. Secretly, I really wanted to be covering gymnastics. I was obsessed with gymnasts since I was a little kid.

I did my normal morning routine, but instead of getting all dolled up, I wore ripped jeans and a formal jacket.

Once I was dressed and decent, I walked out into the kitchen where I could smell food. Emmett sat on the dinner table, devouring his Weetabix like they were a survival source. I grabbed a granola bar out of a packet and watched him eat.

'Good morning, sunshine,' I said to him as he was stuffing his face. He grunted back at me, and finished eating.

'What have you got going on today, Bells?'

'Not much. I have to tell Cullen that we are covering baseball at the Olympics but I'm just going to be glued to my laptop, not talking if I can avoid it.'

'Play nice, Bella. He's actually a really nice guy.' I gave him a skeptical look.

'Is he a player?'

'Well, he gets around, yes, I suppose so.'

'Then he's not a nice guy. Remember Laurent, Emmett?'

When I was in college I met a guy named Laurent. As it goes, he was really perfect until he tried to take advantage. Everything then shot to hell and he cheated on me with a fifty-year-old woman. Emmett went and some stuff went down with him and Laurent, and Laurent was left with a black eye.

'Yeah, he was such a bastard. But Edward isn't. Please Bella. He's family.'

'He's your family, not mine, Emmett. It doesn't make a difference.'

'You're a part of my family Bella.'

'Really, so when you and Rose get married I'm going to be invited to the wedding? Be involved in your kid's lives, they're going to call me 'Aunty Bella'?

'Rose is…subjective.'

'That's a nice way of saying no, I'm not.'

'Bella…'

'Here's the rent money for this month. Sooner I pay up Rose can start making my room into a closet, right? I'll take the bus this morning, Emmett.'

I threw an envelope with the rent money inside. I grabbed my purse and stormed out. Emmett knew as well as I did that I hated the bus, but I caught a cab to the bus station and caught the bus, because a cab would have costed a lot if it drove me to work.

When I sat on the bus, I thought about how much simpler it would be if I had enough money to move out and let Emmett and Rosalie live their fairy-tale lives. If I worked at a different agency or chose a different town to live in. Emmett had no idea that I owed Princeton my college tuition. They let me have a loan because of my good grades and my potential to finish, but I needed to pay them back. I was at least five grand in debt. Charlie and Renee, my parents, they could only pay for half of the tuition, and at the rate of the job money, I wouldn't be able to move out for at least a year. That's if Emmett didn't kick me out. A body sat beside me but I refused to look at them, figuring it would be an old person.

'Miss Swan?' I heard a familiar voice so I wiped my eyes, not realising that a few tears had spilled over the edge.

'Mike? What are you doing here?' Mike Newton sat beside me, smiling sheepishly.

'I catch this bus to work. It's more environmentally friendly than taking a car and fuel costs a lot, and you'll never know who you'll bump into.' He winked at me, and I laughed.

'So is this allowed?' He asked me, and I immediately stiffened. Did he think we were together now? Oh heaven help me.

'Is what allowed?' I said shakily, preparing for the worst answer.

'Catching the bus together? You are my boss, but this is pretty cool.' He yawned and put his arm around the back of my chair.

I laughed, relaxing. 'Yeah, it's allowed.' I hoped it was, I had really no idea if this was allowed.

Mike and I chatted a bit, and it turns out he was pretty funny. He was twenty-one, hence his young looks. He grew up in Forks, just like me. He was home schooled, but his family owned the Newton Olympic Outfitters, and I worked there one summer. I faintly remembered the Newtons younger son, turned out this was him. We bonded on the way to work, and I forgot all about the fight with Emmett I had this morning. When we went into work, we walked arm in arm, enjoying a Forks joke together. Many people raised their eyebrows at us, and I saw Victoria mouthing curse words at me. I saw Emmett, and he just looked surprised. Edward wasn't here yet, and if he was, I didn't see him.

When I had to get to my office, I went straight to professional mode. Edward came in soon after, as I was working on the Forks High Baseball Championships issue, and he looked ready to kill.

I jumped up immediately, half expecting him to turn the desk over. I grabbed my baby, my laptop, and took in his appearance. His cheeks were slightly pink, hair more tousled than usual, and his fists and jaw were clenched. Eyes wide, he was looking at me.

'What's wrong? What happened?'

'Is it true that you and Newton were discussing the Olympic articles this morning and you were going to leave me and work with him?'

I snorted, and put my laptop back down.

'Please. That's rubbish. I got you as my partner yesterday. I'm not going to leave you and go work with Newton. Where did you even hear that?' I scoffed, my tone on the verge of laughter.

'Jessica told me.' I raised my eyebrows.

'Jessica told you? Don't believe everything you hear, Cullen. Rubbish like that floats around all the time, mainly from Jessica. Just ignore it.' He wasn't calming down, so I sat down and continued writing.

'What about what I saw?'

'What are you yabbering about?' I asked him, my eyes never leaving the screen.

'I'm _yabbering_ that you and him looked pretty cosy this morning.'

'Jesus, he's an old childhood friend. I want that promotion as much as you do, Edward, I'm not going to jeopardise it for you or me.' I looked up at him again, and he had visibly calmed down. This was what he was worried about. The promotion. I understood his anger.

'Sorry.' He said after about an hour.

'It's fine. I would have reacted the same way. Just try and get a second source before you jump to conclusions. If that was in a public area, rumours would have floated.' I looked at him and he nodded, stood up from the desk and tried to move to the filing cabinet on my left.

'Give it to me, Cullen. I'll put it away.' He handed me the paper, reaching across the desk. As soon as his long slender fingers brushed against mine, I felt blood rise up to my face. His fingers lingered on the paper for a second more than necessary, and my office door opened. Emmett stood in the doorway, and immediately Edward let go of the paper and walked over to Emmett, giving each other a hug and talking happily. It was such a sweet sight, I felt all tingly in my chest.

I turned away, and put the paper in the filing cabinet, hiding my smile, when Emmett spoke my name.

'Bella?'

'Mmm?' I hummed.

'I'm sorry.'

'Me too.' My voice broke and Emmett laughed.

Edward looked between us, confusion clouding his features.

'Do you too know each other outside of work?'

'I live with Emmett.'

'Oh.'

'Yeah. Emmett and the Rose-monster.'

'Hey! She's not a monster.'

'What did she do to you when you broke her Jimmy Choo shoes?'

'You're right. She is a monster.'

I broke into a fit of giggles and then I went to my lunch break to give them some time alone to talk.

After lunch, I went back to my office to see Edward on the phone. I didn't walk in, but I started to overhear their conversation.

'Mmm, baby I miss you too. Sure, I'll come over tonight. I want you too. I want to kiss you too. And have fun with you.'

I was freaking out inside. I pushed opened the door and_ ahemed_ as loud as I could. Edward dropped the phone and scrambled to pick it up again. He hung up the phone.

'I was just saying-'

'I really don't think I want to hear what you were saying.' I was practically going to pull my hair out if he didn't shut up. Or hurl. Whichever came first.

'It's not what it looks like.'

'I don't really care, Cullen. Just keep it G rated at work, okay?'

'It's really-'

'Please don't tell me, I'm begging you. I understand that you like the lifestyle you live, but at work it's about the work.'

'What lifestyle are you referring to?'

'Look Cullen, you're a player. I get that. Just stay on task, okay?' I was beyond pulling my hair by now. This was the most awkward conversation I'd ever had.

After that, he just shut up and let me finish my work. I wrote the article on the Forks Baseball Championship and walked out of the office to give to Victoria for her to run through the system and send to the cooperate office. When I walked into her office, she took the paper.

'So what are you going to wear tonight?'

'What to?'

'The fundraiser ball. You're going. Emmett told me you were excited to come. I'll trust I'll see you there, Bella.'

'No, I think you've made a mistak-'

Her phone began to ring and she answered it. From the tone of the conversation she wasn't going to be finished soon.

I was going to kill Emmett.

'Bella? You've taken a really long time in there. Is everything okay?' Rosalie called from the bathroom door. Damn. I'll completely day-dreamed. I shut the hot water off and called back. 'Yeah, I'm finished now.'

'Okay, I've got your makeup ready and if it's okay, I'll do that too. Put your robe on and come out into the vanity table.'

I walked out to the vanity table where Rose was, and she looked genuinely happy to be dressing me up.

'Do you trust me, Bella?'

'Um, yeah.'

What kind of question was that? Was she going to cut me?

'Okay, well just relax. I'll make you look beautiful.'

An hour and a half later my hair and makeup was done. I shut my eyes through the whole thing, afraid to look into the mirror and see clown makeup.

'Okay, Isabella, you're done!' She exclaimed and I felt her take a step back to admire her handiwork. Slowly, cautiously, nervously, I opened my eyes.

I don't want to sound like I had just fallen in love with myself, but Rose did an amazing job on me. I looked like I belonged in a Forever 21 advertisement. I did something so out of character I was surprised at myself. I jumped up from my chair and hugged Rose.

'Thank you so much, Rose. I love it.'

She had done my eyes a smoky brown, making them look more shaped and bring out the color of my brown eyes. She added bright pink lipstick on my lips, making them look bigger and noticeable. I didn't need much blush, only a slight cover on my cheeks and she had made my eyelashes look twice as long with the power of mascara.

With the dress she chose for me, I'd forgotten I had it. I'd bought it so long ago with Angela, another fellow ex-Forks liver, I didn't know if I'd still fit. I breathed out as Rose helped me into the dress, relieved that it still fit. It was a light blue color, off the shoulder with transparent puffy sleeves. It was shorter than anything I would have picked, but it did look good.

Rose practically broke the windows with her scream.

'Bella. We have to go soon or we'll miss- wow.' Emmett walked in.

'Do I look okay?'

'You and Rose both look amazing. Let's go.' Emmett was dressed in a suit. Apparently it was black tie.

Rose was dressed in an electric purple dress and makeup similar to mine.

I can't remember the last time I'd felt so confident.

Victoria had really outdone herself this time, I thought as we walked into the hall. It looked like a classier not-so-loud version of a club. There was about seventy people in the huge hall, all mingling and talking about the Olympics or London. I spotted Mike in the crowd. Since I didn't really feel like talking to anyone, I walked to the bar.

'What would you like, miss?' The bartender was female and looked at me happily.

'Um, could I please have a coke?' She looked at me, her smile dimed.

'With?'

'Ice.'

As I waited for my drink, the stools beside me began to fill up. I had drunk about half of my coke when someone placed their drink down next to mine and picked mine up.

'I'm sorry that was mine.'

I was shocked to see Edward sitting beside me, inspecting the coke. 'What are we drinking?'

'I'm drinking none of your concern.'

He placed his tongue down on the rim of my glass and traced the rim of my cup. I was definitely not drinking that again.

'Tastes sweet.' I stared at him in confusion. What did he just do?

He took a sip of my drink and laughed.

'Plain coke?'

'Yeah.'

'Are you drunk, Edward?'

'Maybe a bit, Bella.'

His words weren't slurred, but his actions were just plain weird. Not the Edward from the office. His pupils were dilated. He needed sleep.

'I think you should go lie down, you need to sleep.'

'I guess so.'

He grabbed his drink. I took it from him, and he reached for it. 'Little kitten, give that back to me.'

'No. You can't handle it.'

'Fine, you drink it then. I dare you.'

I didn't want to, but he reached for it again. I couldn't let him have it. I downed it in a heartbeat.

I almost died. It set my throat on fire on the way down, and then left a fire in my throat once I'd swallowed it. My gag reflex started to activate, but I sipped some more of my coke to hold it down.

'That was cute.' Instead of me leading him, he started to lead me away. I saw some couches in the lobby. When we finally stopped, we were in a dark corner, not the lobby. Edward gently pushed me towards the wall, and then stepped close towards me. I could hear him breathing.

'Edward, what are you doing?'

'What I want to.'

He placed light kisses on my throat, and my collarbones.

'If you don't want this, tell me to stop, and I will.'

I couldn't have spoken at all, even if I wanted to. My knees were weak, I was shaking all over, and my breathing was coming out sporadically, heavily.

He was teasing me, never touching my mouth. I hadn't been kissed like this since college, and I wanted it. I made my hands unfurl from his sides, keeping my eyes locked on his emerald ones. When they made their way into his hair, he breathed sharply and took a step back, thinking I was rejecting him. I almost whimpered in protest.

I needed the warmth, the compassion, the closeness of a kiss.

I stepped closer towards him, and I tilted my face to meet his.

My lips connected with his, and it was all over. His soft, plump and surprised lips took over, dominating mine. He bit my bottom lip, but I held my own, not letting him in. He made a sound low in the back of his throat, like a moan, like a growl. I was turned into a puddle of mess. I bit his lip back, hard, and he was in. He liked me taking control, but he liked dominating. Our tongues connected, and everything became much more intense. Like a dance.

I was sure my lips would be bruised tomorrow.

His hands, once on my waist, were now running up all over my body. I held fistfuls of his hair in my hands, pulling him towards me. When I came up for air, he kissed the length of my neck, and once I was breathing normally again, I pulled him back to me.

He pushed me back against the wall, and I made a sound that was foreign to me, but he seemed to register it.

Then everything became a blur.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who fanned, followed and reviewed the first two chapters of Never Say Yes. It's been a huge uplift. Because of my hectic weeks, the only time I will get to write will probably be on a Friday afternoon or sporadically over the weekend. This chapter is shorter that my other two, on account of a head cold. So please be patient until I can update and write lots.I will see your reviews and follows, they come up on my email, and I will reply the best I can to them throughout the week. This story, don't worry all you Jasper/Alice/Esme/Carlisle lovers, they will be in this story. And yes, this story will be riddled with drama, romance and some unexpected twists. And lastly, I promise that this story will not be abandoned. **

**Recap: Bella is one of the bosses at a newspaper in Seattle, where she lives. For an Olympic special edition, she is paired with the one, the only Edward Cullen. After a heavy, blurry and dysfunctional night with him that she can't even remember, she is started to develop feelings for him. But is it just attraction?**

**Chapter 3.**

I remember laughing. And having a really good time, as evident by my hangover headache. I sat in my lounge room, chewing over some salty extra-butter popcorn, a Swan hangover remedy, and watching an episode of Frasier or the early morning channel. I could hardly remember last night, but I guess I had fun. My lips felt bruised, so I had either been punched or had a fleeting hook-up. I shuddered, how embarrassing. I was probably the laughing stock of the work function. I could remember where I was, how I got there, but not who I was with or what I did. Or how I woke up, sprawled on the island in the kitchen, my head hanging off the edge, my neck and shoulder hurting like high hell.

Emmett was sleeping in his room with Rosalie, they crashed here after the party, and I could hear his snores and her light breathing. I was still in my dress, so my fleeting hook-up didn't go past first base, and I was thankful. After my Frasier episode finished, I flicked across the channels to the news program. Nothing important was showing, except the celebrity edition. The normal celebrity scandals were on, but it made me drop my popcorn. There was a video showing of a celebrity with brown hair getting a tattoo in a parlour, a dress too short for my liking. What a slut, I thought. Her back was to the camera, but a man with brown hair was standing with her, laughing their heads off. The news reported spoke, 'Edward Cullen and a mystery girl was spotted at a tattoo parlour late last night, but who is this mystery women Edward Cullen has added to his long line of female suitors, is the question his fans want answers too.'

Edward Cullen? As in, my employee Edward Cullen?

He has fans?

Are they blind, I snorted to myself.

I rewound the news report, and paused.

'Emmett, get out here!'

I heard a bump, a slap and a 'aw hell' before Emmett and Rosalie emerged, Emmett sporting a black eye, Rosalie sporting a scowl that should be branded.

'What happened to you?!' He all but shouted.

'What happened to your face?' I retorted, wanted to know who had delivered a black eye of that magnitude.

'I have no time for jokes now Bella.'

'What? No, I'm being serious. Who gave you that black eye?'

'Oh, someone you don't know. What happened to your neck?'

'What are you talking about?' I jumped up, and ran to the mirror on the opposite wall of our lounge room, and screamed.

'I got a tattoo? How did that happen?'

'You tell us,' Rosalie jumped in, eyes popping out. I ignored her and studied the tattoo, secretly pleased. It was a tattoo of a cherry blossom, the branch snaking from the end of my shoulder blade and finished right under my ear. It wasn't directly into view, but if I tied my hair up, you could see it clearly. The pink small flowers were delicately placed. I was thankful it wasn't infected, so I had clearly had it done at a licenced place. Although I had possessed a hatred for tattoos throughout my childhood, having a beautiful one like this had changed my mind.

'That will have to go, Bella.' Emmett declared, grabbing the phonebook that lay next to the microwave in the corner, and started flicking through.

'What? No way.' I instinctively reached up to cover it, wincing where the skin was still raw.

He looked up from the phonebook, eyeing me like I was stupid.

'You think people will take you seriously if you have that in view? And you scared your body. What would your parents say?'

Honestly, Renee wouldn't mind. She had a love of tattoos, but thought it innessicary to get one. Charlie, on the other hand, would bust a vein. But he would respect my decision, he was too afraid of messing up his relationship with his only daughter the way he messed up his marriage.

'They'd be fine with it. And I could wear high collared shirts and jackets.' I lied smoothly.

He didn't looked convinced, but let it drop. For now. He placed the phonebook back into its place.

'High collars are so out, Isabella.' Rosalie interjected, a class A crappy attitude on perfectly. 'What did you get me up for? Some of us have people to impress. A boyfriend to stay thin for.'

Another mockery of my single life. 'At least I don't have to slather my skin with product to get respect,' I snapped, and Emmett scowled at me.

'But, beside the point, I saw this on TV this morning. If you think I make bad choices, Em, wait until you see your oh-so-popular cousin.'

I pressed play on the TV, and sat smugly on the couch, wincing when my neck made contact with the leather.

I didn't get the reaction from them I expected.

'My cousin, Bella? Seriously?'

'Edward Cullen? You landed Edward Cullen? You?' Rosalie and Emmett's incredulous tones made me side track.

'What did I do? This about your cousin, not me! And no, I did not _land _him.' I exclaimed, replaying the report.

It started to click. I realised just how dense I was.

Bruised lips. Tattoo. Drinks. Laughing. Work function. Cars. Streets. All bubbling down to one person; Edward Cullen.

'Oh, f-'

Emmett went go get some raw steak for his face.

'Do you think this will cover it?' I strolled out of my room, into our lounge room, wearing a work jacket and a high collared dress shirt, my long hair pushed to the side of the tattoo. The hair covered the most on my neck.

'Bella, it's a tramp stamp. Nothing will cover it. But I suppose it will work.' Emmett said, not looking up from his laptop as he finished a proposal for James, his boss to put into the NY Times, outlining a Seattle exclusive sight into the Olympic Games.

'Okay, be a judgemental, unsupportive co-worker,' I muttered under my breath as I strolled out of the room, grabbing my flats to wear, outlining my average height. I grabbed my keys and shoved them into my jeans.

'You want a ride to work today?' He offered, shutting his laptop closed.

'No thanks, I'll ride the bus with Newton.'

'Newton? As in Mike Newton, what, do you like him now or something?'

'No, he's just friendly.'

'You'd ride the bus, something that you refused to do and started a petition against to the get the bus lines closed and stop polluting Seattle, for Newton? Isn't that challenging your views, B?'

'No. I don't think so. And that bus was purposely polluting fossil fuels, I know it.'

'Do you have any evidence to support that claim?'

'Not of recent.'

'Then you have no case.'

'No shit, Sherlock,' I laughed as I opened the door.

'Dig deeper, Watson.' He muttered as I closed the door.

Newton was his friendly self on the bus, telling me about how much fun he had with a girl named Lauren at the work function, his date. Even Newton wasn't single. That made me depressed. I was careful not to let him see my tattoo, not because like Emmett, he would think I was challenging my views, but because if he saw it he might piece together the whole Cullen scenario. Although I had my doubts that Newton was actually that bright, but he could possibly watch the celebrity channel.

Apparently Cullen was a celebrity. I didn't even know that when I did my original google-stalk. As Newton and I sat in comfortable silence, I took out my phone and again, googled the name, Edward Cullen. Several sites came up, and it became apparent that apart from being a male seductress, he played Baseball before he had an injury of sorts. Ironically enough, he was at an Olympic level when he was injured. That would explain the muscles and his interest in the sports column, and even his competitive nature. I watched a clip of him making a homerun, in a game at Florida, where Renee lives. The way he moved gracefully as he hit the ball, rounding the bases with speed like a gazelle. The camera did a close up of him as he ran, his face transfixed in utter concentration and the urge to win. I couldn't help wondering how that nature would transform into other things, things that made my head spin. How did I miss that in my original stalk? He really was a celebrity, fans all over the world. I recalled our conversation yesterday, when I caught him on his phone. I basically told him to stop with the phone-sex. How embarrassing, I should have bowed or something to him.

Newton and I got off the bus together and walked the short distance to the office. I saw, amongst the mixture of professional business cars and cute little buggies, a flashy, money dripping silver Volvo in the parking lot. It was probably the most expensive machine in the lot, next to Emmett's jeep.

Living with Rosalie, you pick up on her abnormal habits. Like doing a Marsha Brady routine with her totally fake blonde hair. One of them is collecting as many Car and Driver magazines as possible. I took a photo of this car, looking forward to seeing her drool and beg at my feet to see this car again.

Grinning, I walked into the office.

I signed in at the front desk and clocked in, and took the employee elevator up to the fifth floor, sighing as I watched Newton struggling to get his ID badge to work.

With a familiar ding, the doors opened to the fifth floor.

I walked the distance to my office, scowling as I saw a plaque that was much straighter and bigger than my self-nailed one, under my own plaque, reading, 'Cullen's Office.' I had an urge to unscrew the nails and show Cullen exactly where he could nail his plaque. Plastering on a fake smile, I opened the door.

Edward was sitting at the desk, powering over his laptop, earphones in his ears. I sat down across from him and turned on my own computer, made back in the middle ages, and waited for it to load. Electronics hated me. I tapped my nails on my desk in a rhythmic pattern, and started to swear at Edward's laptop, pleased at this opportunity while he couldn't hear me.

'Can I help you, Sailor?' He smiled, and I jumped in my swivel chair, avoiding his eyes. I didn't realise he could hear. He sounded pleased to catch me off guard. I jumped up, and sort of_ curtsied_ at him.

'Sorry,' I exclaimed, not looking at him. I was toying with the idea that he didn't remember last night at all, because he was doing the silent treatment so well.

'It's okay, you're computer looks to be made in the dark ages, and jealousy is something I'm used to.' I could hear the smugness in his voice, and I didn't like it at all. After taking crap from bullies in my middle school and high school years for not having the best technology, clothes, boyfriends, I had formed a hatred for all people who acted like they were the best thing in the world.

'Are you serious? Do you not hear yourself?' I asked, turning to face him. 'Do you think you're better than everybody else because you are famous?'

'No, I think I'm better than everyone else because I'm actually good at what I do.' He looked at me subjectively.

'Do you think you're better than me, Cullen? Is that why you give me the silent treatment? You're the boss?'

He smiled at me, and I dug my nails into my palm. 'If you say so.'

I groaned at him, and he coughed.

'At least I didn't have to rely on my cousin to get me this job.'

Oh no he did not just go there. I flung my hair over my other shoulder in aggravation, watching his eyes expand and mouth fall open. I realised a second too late that he had seen it. My tramp stamp.

'You're the girl I hooked up with?' He asked incredulously. I was getting really sick of this response from everybody. What, did I have a gnome taped onto my forehead?

'I'm guessing so. I had a great time, I can assure you.' I said sarcastically. 'Scarring my body has always been a life-long dream of mine.' I plugged in my own headphones, and ignored him. I caught a bit of his swearing, until he mumbled something I almost didn't catch.

'It looks hot.'

'What?'

'What?'

'You just said it looks hot.'

'I think that's undeniable wanting and desire talking from you.'

'Dig Deeper Watson, because that statement is absolute shit.' I retorted, quoting Emmett. God love him.

Edward and I called a truce over the day. Basically, we ignored the topic of our 'hook-up' at all costs, and didn't even speak to each other. I was happy with this arrangement, and even though I caught him glaring at me occasionally, I didn't let it get to me. His moronic ideas of wanting and desire from me clearly made him mad, or maybe it was my response? I didn't understand guys like him. I hardly even knew what kind of category he belonged to. A Mr Mysterious. A mythical creature that you only hear about in stories.

During my lunch break that I spent talking to Newton and Angela, and occasionally Jessica, I kept getting flashbacks of the night, blurry but still identifiable. I remembered Edward and I kissing, and boy that was a kiss to remember. I was glad I was partially sober to remember it. Just thinking about it made my knees start to shake. Sometimes over the day when he moved, his muscles would flex and I would remember running my hands up and down his shoulders, his stomach, his back…

And then I would remind myself of his male-seductress/ whorish ways and snap out of it.

As I was walking back to the office, I received a text from an unrecognisable number. I didn't even have to read it to know who it was.

_Miss Swan, be a doll and invite Emmett over for dinner tonight with his favourite cousin. He needs to catch up with the family._

_Love, Sailor._

Aware of Emmett's disturbing and emotionally stressing family history, I replied with a little something Charlie, the police chief of Forks, calls gusto_._

I decided to go home early that day, stopping to pick up groceries, some tears leaking out of my eyes on the drive in the back of the cab.

What had I gotten us into?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended. **

**Thankyou to the wonderful people who favoured and reviewed. Reviews are like hugs! Literally lit up my world. I'm writing this on Wednesday, because I'm feeling nice. It will hopefully be up by Friday, but I'll suck if it's up on Saturday, sorry. So, Chapter 4. And yes, Edward and Bella are gradually progressing. It's a train ride, guys. You've got to board it, you've got to put down luggage, you've got to sit down, you've got to wait, and then the train starts. It's a progression. Oh, and to clear up some confusion, Edward is no longer Emmett's cousin. I thought it would make more sense if they were adoptive brothers. Alice is Edward's adoptive (totally not related) sister, but they were adopted by Carlisle and Esme but Emmett was too and is not related to any of them. Okay, that's confusing, but I hoped I cleared it up. Hopefully this is exciting and the next few will be giggle-able.**

'No fucking way!' Emmett roared, slamming his fist down on the dining table.

'You know, it might be fun,' I squeaked from my spot on the couch, playing with my burgundy knitted jacket as an episode of _Friends _played. The one where Phoebe traves to meet her real dad and is so nervous. How appropriate.

'Fun? Are you serious? I've haven't been home since I was sixteen, Bella. I hadn't seen Edward since I was eighteen, and now the little twerp has gone and told the family and now I need to see them. You have no idea what it was like, growing up there, Bella! I built up so much distance from Esme and Carlisle. I was the adopted brother, Alice and Edward are the two perfects. And I'm going to have to face them tonight at dinner. Fuck.' He flopped down next to me on the couch. Taking chance of this rare opportunity of him and me alone, without Rose, I put my head on his knee. He played with my hair.

'Look, maybe you can reconcile. Maybe time was what was needed. And I thought Alice and Edward were adopted too.'

'Maybe. They are, but they are related. I was always the odd one out.' he echoed, and thrust his hands into his dark hair.

'Will you come with me? I really don't want to go without you. For moral support. Don't worry, nothing will go down.'

Come? With him? No way. His family sounds horrible, and it would be none of my business to intrude into their home.

'What about Rose?' I whispered, as he brushed my hair back from my face.

'Don't tell her, she wouldn't understand, but I think I need my best friend for this kind of stuff. And she's gone to Milan for some fashion show. She's modelling.'

'That's new. When did she start modelling?'

Rosalie was hauntingly beautiful. She's the kind of person who would make an athlete feel insignificant, a supermodel insecure. She had the cascading gold locks that most women would die for, a figure of an hourglass, and the face that would put an angel to same. Her baby blue eyes complimented the golden features of her face. It was no doubt that she was snatched up by some company. And Milan! Of all places.

'She was interviewed a few weeks ago. She told me, but didn't think she would get in.' so unlike Rosalie, usually she needs some medication to calm her bigheadedness. 'It's this fancy Swimsuit Illustrated magazine.'

'Oh, okay. Yeah, okay, I'll go with you. It won't be too bad. Moral buddies?' I asked, sat up and held my fist out towards him for him to bump. Sort of a nerdy ritual of ours since College.

'Sure. Moral buddies.'

His fist lightly thudded as it connected with mine.

Emmett pulled his Jeep out from the curb, not daring to drive up the driveway. I didn't hesitate to dig my fingers into my palm as the engine roared to life. Just as we were leaving Seattle borders to go down to Forks, my fingers started to shake. About half-an hour outside of Forks, the question that had been bothering me needed to come out.

'Emmett- Emmett, are you sure this is a good idea? Meeting your family? You haven't seen them in a really long time.'

'Are you kidding me? You convinced me to go.'

'I know, but,' I played with the strap on my seatbelt. 'I already have one dysfunctional family with awkward dinners. I don't want to see that happen to you. Or be a part of it.'

'Bella, it won't. And if this goes okay, we won't have to hear from them again.' He shrugged his shoulders in an I-couldn't-give-a-shit way, but I could tell he was shoving as much Emmett Cullen bravado into his words.

'Okay,' I let it drop, and decided to change the subject. 'So when's Rose going to spill the beans?' I asked, playing with a fiddle on the heating control on the dash. Emmett slammed his foot on the brake.

'What?!'

'About when she's planning on moving in with us…' I clarified for him, and the panicked look disappeared from his face, and the car started moving again.

'Don't say stuff like that, Bella. Okay?' He looked angered, and I assumed it wasn't directed at me, just at his family and the nerves.

'God Emmett, take a Midol. You seriously have to chill.'

'Sorry,' he murmured as he turned the radio down.

'Look, a few weeks ago, Rose and I started to…try.' The cab had started to cool, so I fixed the dial to heat to take the edge off.

What?

'You know I don't speak in James Bond, Emmett. Try for what?'

'Try for a baby.'

'WHAT?!' I snapped my head around to face him, staring intently at the road, avoiding my eyes. 'Look, Bella, Rose and I have been together for five years. Since the start of freshman year. She's wanting to move in, make commitments, and stuff like that. We won't get married yet, but she wants to move in. But I'm so worried, Bella. You've seen her. She's so beautiful. I'm worried some Ryan Gosling character is going to snatch her up, so I put a proposal to her, to try for a baby. If we get pregnant, we marry.'

'Is that really how you want to do things, Emmett? In that order?!'

'I just love her, B. It doesn't matter what order things go in. And we'd get married before she'd show, so people won't talk. Only the family would know.'

I snorted. Considering Rose's pain-in-the-ass obsessive disorder (PITAOD), three months wouldn't be long enough for her to plan a wedding and make everything perfect. But Emmett and the Wicked Witch? Shudder.

'A likely scenario. But Em, why'd you just flip out on me? What are you hiding from me?'

He sighed, and in most horror films, my eyes became wider with anticipation, expecting him to say he was a serial killer and was on his way to take me to his lair. That would be awesome.

'We went to the doctor to make sure everything is okay. When I say, a few weeks ago we started, I mean about two and a half months ago. We're not expecting to get pregnant right away, but she's not even late. So Monday, we went to the doctor. We had the tests, and Rose gave him her number to call. She didn't want me giving mine to him, something about the doctor being gay. But now, she won't talk to me or answer my calls. I'm really worried. She flips out whenever I talk about the doctor.'

My handbag was on the seat, so before Emmett could react, I smacked him over the head with it. He didn't look away from the road, but he cried out.

'Bella, I'm driving. Don't hit me. What did you even hit me for?'

'Oh Emmett, you fool. She's as scared as you are. She's probably worried something about her is wrong! And when you pester her about it, you come off as clingy and worried. So naturally she's freaking out! Just give her space, and everything will be okay.

'You're right. Everything's probably fine. Thanks, B.'

'Don't mention it. Seriously. Ever.' I said, thinking about Rose fat with a baby. It made me smile. You're Mama Jokes will be the hot topic when she does fall fat with child.

'Hey Emmett, can I be best man/woman?'

A flash of white headlights startled me, turning my head to the left side of the cab. The car had jeered off the road, and was heading towards my side of the car.

The sound of metal tearing and Emmett's gasp was heard, and then the shattering of glass and the metal frame of the car.

Someone's creaming echoed all around the woods before the earth became silent again.

It took me a second before I blanked out to realise it was mine.

Pain.

Too much pain.

So much pain.

It was all around me, consummating every thought, every breath, every fluttering of my eyelid. Everything was silent, and seemingly filled with pain.

'Swan, the passenger. Impacted. Stable, but vitals dropping. Losing blood. Needs emergency treatment. Few minutes before comatose. Driver? Unknown. Borders of Forks. Pulling up to hospital now. Need a stretcher waiting. Over.'

I could hear it. But I didn't understand it. I couldn't remember my own name. I couldn't force my eyelids to move. I couldn't even locate them.

I felt whatever I was riding on stop, and then I was jerked out from underneath something. I wanted to tell everyone to relax and just stop, but everything went black again.

'Isabella.' Stop it.

'Isabella.' Stop touching me.

'Isabelle.' That's not my name.

'Isabelle._' They call me hell, that's not my name._

'Belle.' _That's not my name._

'Belie.' What sort of name is that? Stop touching my face.

'Bella.' Bingo! Stop touching my forehead.

'Bella. Can you hear me?' Well obviously. Quit poking me.

'Can. You. Hear. Me.' Yes. Go. Away.

'She's not responding.' Of course I'm not. Leave me alone.

'I don't know if she can hear.' Look buddy, if you don't stop holding my hand right now…

'We can't force her to wake up. She has to do it when she's ready. I'm sorry.' Why is this random person apologizing for me? Did someone escape from the loony-bin?

'BELLA?' I could recognise the voice. I could recognise it anywhere.

'Bella, I'm so sorry. Please wake up!' I am awake, idiots.

'Bella, think of me! Wake up for me!' Emmett sounded distraught, like he was crying. I located my eye-lids on my body, and tried to open them. I managed to find one, and opened it.

There were three people directly looking down at me. A bandaged Emmett, a concerned Rose and a startled handsome blonde man with a stethoscope around his neck. I must be in a hospital. It wasn't weird waking up in one, I had spent a lot of time here in my childhood. Upon seeing my one open eyelid, they all jerked back and then started to yell. 'She's awake! She's awake! Stable her. Now!'

Then a flurry of more people entered the room, and I fell asleep, just to spite them. How I hated hospitals.

When I woke up again, it was for real. There was no one poking me, thank god, and I managed to get both eyes open enough to see the roof of the hospital room. Light was flooded into the room, and I looked around silently, not needing to say anything. I could remember the car and the drive, but nothing after that. I could feel a pain on my right side, and I could see a button on the bedside table, probably for pain medication. I lifted an arm to press it, but someone beat me to it.

'No, you don't.'

I followed the toned arm up slowly, finally landing on the face of Edward Cullen. He was smiling down at me, looking like an Adonis. I was glad I couldn't say anything, I think I would have screamed. My face scrunched up into confusion, and he pressed the button on the bedside table, and settled back into the navy blue seat to the side of me.

'What are you doing here?'

I managed to say, though my voice was thick with sleep.

'What do you mean, what am I doing here? I'm the reason you're in here. Or I can be here as a work representative offering comfort. Whichever works.'

'Can you not confuse me just yet? Can you just tell me what happened, please?'

'You're in a hospital and you're still bossing me around.'

'I'm still you're boss.' I yawned, and he winked.

Winking, of all things? This man must be whacked out. He cleared his throat, and then started to tell me what had happened.

'I was at my parent's house, waiting for Emmett to arrive. I assumed you could come with him, so I told Esme he was bringing a girl. You know Esme, right?' I nodded. 'Anyway, you guys were late and Esme was getting worried. Then we got a call saying there had been an accident and we were in Emmett's phonebook, so they contacted us. We rushed over here, and he was fine, but you were comatose. Everyone was all worried and up in arms, until you allegedly winked at Carlisle. They stabled you, and you fell asleep.'

'I was in a car accident? That would explain the pain.'

'Where are you hurting?'

'My right side, my head and my stomach.'

'You have a few bruised and cracked ribs, a hit head and you were internally bleeding. They managed to fix it without performing surgery.'

'How?'

'I don't know. I think you just stopped bleeding.'

'What's Carlisle look like?'

He launched into a very detailed description of his looks, but it was all blurry in my head.

'Blond doctor?'

'Yeah, I think that's a pretty accurate description.' He laughed. I had never seen him like this. In my head he was Edward Cullen, colleague, pain, asshole, cocky annoyance. But he was being genuinely nice. He probably felt bad for Emmett. Family was probably a weakness. Since he was probably only talking to me because he felt bad or was bored, I started to say something. Unfortunately, he did too.

'You can leave if you want,'

'I don't know how to apologise,'

'What?' He asked.

'What?' I asked. 'Why do you need to apologise?'

'Bella, I could have killed you. You could be dead right now, in the ground, and it would be my fault. It's bad enough you're injured.' It was the first time he had ever called me by Bella and not Miss Swan. It was an irrelevant fact, but it jumped from his mouth into my brain.

'You didn't do this to me!' I protested, wincing as the muscles in my torso clenched as I moved my arms in a waving motion. There was no cuts on my shoulder, so I was glad my tattoo wouldn't be ruined.

'I might as well have.' He dug his hands into his tousled hair, elbows on the bed. His voice was soft, quiet, gentle. 'I wanted to see you, for you to come see my family. And I missed Emmett. I wanted to see him, see him make peace with the family. I asked you guys to come. And if the car had been speeding five miles faster, or hit you at a different angle, you both could be dead. There wouldn't be a beautiful, alive, healing girl right here. There would be a dead girl in the ground. So I'm sorry.'

Although his words made me flinch, I was still screaming at myself. He called me beautiful. He called me beautiful.

'Bella, say something right now.' There it was again. The B-word.

'You said the B-word.'

'What?'

'Nothing, look, I accept, even though you didn't do anything wrong. Cullen, you're handsome, smart and despite all the asshole-player part of your personality, I would never believe in a million years you would ever try to hurt your brother.'

He was looking at me intently, raising an eyebrow and cocking his head to one side. I felt a need to distract him.

'So, I'm feeling really good, when can I go back to Seattle?'

'Tomorrow, if you're lucky.' Carlisle, the blonde doctor, entered into the room. Emmett's adoptive dad.

'You seem pretty good, so this afternoon, so tomorrow seems doable. What do you think Edward?' He said handing Edward the chart that had my vitals on it. Knowing that it would have my weight on the chart, and being insecure about my 110 pounds, I felt myself flush. He gazed at it, and handed it back to Carlisle.

'Definitely doable.' Edward smirked, but I couldn't understand what about. Oh God, it might have my last bowel movement time on it. Can they even tell that?

'Thanks, Dr Cullen,' I muttered politely as he glanced over my chart.

'Carlisle, please.'

'Sure thing.' I was so never calling him Carlisle to his face.

'How's Emmett?' I asked just as Carlisle was leaving the room.

'He's fine. Esme is smothering him with food she cooked. She'll probably be around here soon, too. She really wants to meet you. Just say yes to any food she serves you. Not worth the arguments.' He waved and nodded to Edward as he left the door, shutting it behind him. He seemed really nice.

I nestled down into my bed, stretching and feeling myself sink into the pillows as I rested my hands behind my head.

'What we're you smirking about before, Cullen. My injuries are not an amusing matter,' I teased, nudging him with my foot. I was glad he was here, keeping me company and distracting me from the annoying beep of my heart-rate monitor. And now I was listening to it.

Beep. Beep.

'You're full of questions, aren't you Boss?'

'That's the job. When you get promoted you'll love being a dominator too. Always on top.' His mouth dropped open.

'What?'

'Nothing.'

'When will the next promotion be?' He asked, playing with the blanket on my bed. His hand gazing across my thigh, obviously unintentionally, disregarding the point, I was frozen.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

'In about six months. Victoria and James will choose who gets the next promotion. Because of the pairs for the Olympic reports, I think both people, boss and newbie, will get it.'

'How bad do you want that promotion?' He asked idly.

'I've been talking about it to anyone who would listen. What do you think?' I laughed.

He laughed with me. We were both enjoying the casual conversation, the light laughter after such a traumatic, for me and emotional, for both people, experience.

'I think you would do anything for that job. So would I.' He murmured, looking out the window, deep in thought.

'Oh, Cullen, I forgot to tell you. We lucked out at the picking of the sports. We got to cover the Baseball league.'

His body visibly filched. Stupid idiot, I thought to myself. He was an Olympic level baseballer. Shit.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

'That should be great,' he said, looking at the door. I felt stupid, I had made him feel uncomfortable. I really wanted to go see Emmett, and I imagined him longing to check on his adoptive brother.

'Thanks for being here with me. It's nicer than being alone with a nurse who is paid. I'll add fifty cents to your pay,' I joked. I really had no influence over his pay, but I thought saying that might spoil the atmosphere.

'Bella, I'll be here when you need me. That's how it works.' He put a hand on the side of my face.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep

I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know if I liked it. He was being weird. I didn't know if he liked me or was joking around. _Stop over analysing everything, Bella. Live in the moment._ _You suffered a near death experience. Who knows how long you have left? _A voice inside my mind consulted me.

_Shut up, _I shouted at my mind. I focused on Edward's green-gold blend, and then I did totally something I never did.

I kissed him. Pressing my closed lips softly to his closed ones, I waited for him to pull away, thinking how embarrassing and stupid I was. He hadn't even moved towards me, only put his hand on my face, and here I was, sexually harassing him. He was startled a bit, but got over it. He kissed me back, softly, but not pushing for more. Was player Edward not taking advantage of a girl throwing herself at him? He held my hand, and it was so soft, sweet, and genuine. Our first kiss.

So much verbal diarrhoea, but I felt good. I hadn't been kissed by Edward that I ever knew of. I hadn't been kissed since that random night at the work function, but I assumed that was from some seedy guy who was drunk.

Work function.

'Stop.'

I pulled away, and he looked disappointed. 'What's wrong?' He asked, looking at my side that I told him was hurting.

'We can't do this. Work. I can't date a colleague. It's wrong.'

'Do you always obey the rules?'

'It's the office rules. I can't disobey them.'

'Sometimes it's healthy to test the limits. You don't always have to do everything by the rules. Don't you want to see what it feels like to test them?'

'Not when my job's on the line, Cullen. Don't you get it? You could get fired too.'

'I've done it before.'

'You've kissed someone from work before? Already?'

'I think so. It was just at the work function though. Can't remember who, but definitely kissed her. A good kiss, too.'

'What if it was a guy?'

'Are you asking me if I'm gay?' Surprise dripped from his tone.

I blushed, holding in my laughter. 'Do you need me to prove that I'm straight to you?'

'We can't, Cullen. It's not okay! This isn't some romantic comedy. Life isn't like that.'

'I don't want a romantic comedy, I just want to have some fun.'

'You sound like a teenager.'

'You sound like a worrier.'

I narrowed my eyes at him, sinking deeper into my pillows.

'Convince me.' I closed my eyes. 'Convince me that you want this, we won't get caught and everything will be okay if we do this. Promise me.'

His lips came down on mine, hard. Demanding and promising. Wanting. Challenging me to back down.

I had just made a deal with the devil.

But it would be so worth it.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Be—

Flat lined.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, guys? POLL: Who ever suffers writers block? I do, hence the short and four day late update. New Chapter being posted on Friday. I'm working on it. Oh, and always, thank you for reading. Seriously means the world. PM me if you have any questions, comments, queries. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights go to their respective owners. **

**Chapter 5:**

Emmett was visiting me again. He hadn't left my bedside since I was with Edward- but more on that later. I was free to go home today, the ridiculously good-looking Dr Carlisle Cullen had given me a clean bill of health. All I needed was to organize a way home, since Emmett's jeep had been totaled. But with his money, he could buy ten. Charlie hadn't visited me, although I was sure news had gotten round in a small town like Forks. Charlie and I had a difficult relationship, and he had sent me a text this morning saying how much he missed me and was glad I was okay. I would call him later, as a short thank you.

'Please Bella, just let Rose drive you home with me.' He pleaded as I came out of the bathroom in my normal, almost free of blood clothes.

'I would rather not, as you're getting scolded by her. Although Rose will want to be all serious, and I think I can do without any serious talk for a while.' I was still wrapping my head around the fact that I had been in a car accident. I didn't even remember it, and it seemed to surreal, like something out of a movie. 'I'll take a cab,' I had about a hundred bucks on me, and I think that would get me for the hours' drive to Seattle from the hellhole I had spent my childhood in.

'Okay, that seems like a legitimate reason. I'll see you at home, are you okay to get discharged and get home?'

'Yes, I'll be fine. I promise. See you then.' He gave me an awkward, on my part, one armed hug and slowly walked out the door to where I could hear a distraught Rosalie arguing with a doctor, Emmett looking like he was walking to the gallows. Rosalie was his eternal doom.

After about an hour when I was sure Rosalie and Emmett had gone home, I was deemed free to go. I ended up standing on the raining curb, waiting for the stupid cab to come as I got drenched by the ever-continuing rain, my hair dripping onto my t-shirt and chilling me to the bone. I had been avoiding Edward Cullen like the plague, and I wanted was to go home and spend a nice night with me, myself and I watching a ridiculous movie I could laugh at, like Hannah Montana; the Movie. Just to distract me from my confusing lack of love life.

A car started to come around the corner, but I was a black shiny car. I didn't know that cabs were now black, but this car looked professional enough. Before I could protest, I ran to the door and jumped into the back seat, closing my eyes and resting my head on the headrest. The car was warm.

'Seattle, please. I'll tell you the address when we are closer.'

The car moved forward, and a voice came from the front.

'Oh good, I was hoping I wouldn't have to persuade you.' My eyes fluttered open, and I chocked back a scream. Edward Cullen was grinning at me through the rear-view mirror, those emerald-gold eyes smug and amused.

'What- what are you doing?' There goes my plan to ignore him, literally left behind me as he sped down the Forks main street toward Seattle.

'Giving you a ride home.'

'Why?' It was a stupid question, but necessary for my current shock. I almost let out a surprise fart, and was gasping for air that had left my lungs.

'Because you looked like you were getting a cold. You're as pale as a ghost. I have to go to Seattle anyway, I'm seeing my sister. Do you want to climb in front with me?'

'Alice? And no thanks, I'm comfortable back here.' The more space, the better.

'Yes, Alice. She couldn't come to the hospital, so Emmett and I are meeting her tomorrow.'

'Oh.' It seemed like a real excuse, but I was so confused. Yesterday didn't we kiss? I basically agreed to fool around with him, and here he was, acting all casual. It was driving me crazy.

'Please, contain your excitement.' He joked, and I held back a giggle. A freaking giggle, so I decided to distract myself. The car's interior was black, the dashboard alight as the night was falling. A feel-good pop song was softly playing, and I felt anything but good.

'Are you okay, you look sick?'

'Thanks, I'm fine. Just a bit lost.'

'How so?'

'Just general feelings of unease.'

'Bella, don't bullshit me. You look like you need a drink. Badly.'

I shot him a glare, and stuck to staring out the windows as we drove.

'Do you want me to stop the car, because I will if you don't want me to drive you? I can call you a cab, Swan.'

'Are you always so bossy?'

'Sorry.' He said as he fiddled with the heater dial, unshaken.

'No, I'm sorry. I'm just confused. Why are you driving me, and acting so casual about kissing me only a few hours ago? I don't know how often you get kissed, but this isn't a usual thing for me.' He'd probably been kissed lots of times, judging on his looks.

Why was he even kissing me, when he's practically a god? He could be a model and a doctor _and _a business man, he fit into every stereotype. Women probably fell at his feet. I was one of them, and I hated it.

'Isabella-'

'Bella,' I corrected.

'Okay, Bella. I don't know about you. But I want to live my life. I don't want to let a woman go by who is beautiful enough for me to like.'

'So you play women who you deem well enough for you?'

'No. I let you be happy with me, a relationship in all respect. But I'm not exclusive. I don't kiss on the mouth, last night and when I was drunk was just an exception. I'd be more like fooling around. No strings attached.'

'You want a plaything…ah.' It all made sense now, how he could be so casual about kissing. He probably had done a lot worse with a lot better.

'I wouldn't put it that way…' He groaned into his hands, he could tell I wasn't impressed. I was pretty close to telling him to get stuffed and walking the rest of the way home. 'I want you, Bella, just forget the rest. I can make you feel happy. Give you a real relationship. Not exclusive, a pressure release. Working with me, you'll build up pressure. I'm a bit of an asshole at business. Are you in, or out?'

'I'd figured that out already. The asshole bit, I mean.'

He laughed, and I felt myself soften into the seat.

Maybe this was a once in a lifetime deal. Something I could laugh about with my husband, a husband that would never be him evidently, joking about my past relationships. When I was a child, people would tell me to loosen up. Don't care about my grades so much, live my life, be young, go out, all of that. I never listened to them. I was always prude Bella, insecure Bella, cautious Bella.

Now it wasn't just about experiences. It was about exploring my life, not just being a bystander to something I couldn't control. I wanted to _live. _

'Fine, I'm in.'

We were about thirty minutes outside Seattle, when Edward broke the silence. Uncomfortable silence for me, probably normal silence for him. When he spoke, I jolted in my seat.

'Do you have any questions you want to ask or anything you want to tell me?'

'I'm not ready for it yet. I don't want to be rushed, okay?' I said, hoping I wouldn't have to explain what 'it' means. That would bring the ride to a new level of awkward.

'Sure. I understand that. It's different to what women usually say, but I'm open for it.'

'Thanks. How many women have you done this with?'

'Three.'

Wow.

'Are you a serial killer?' That would be a less confusing reason to go after women for recreational purposes.

'What? No! Why?'

'My mother always told me to make sure of all men I ever got into a car with him.' Renee Dwyer would kill me if she knew what I was doing, a serial killer would be the least of my worries. Her mantra was 'It is always no, Bella. Always. No.' Charlie's mantra was 'Don't ask, don't tell.'

'You're different, Miss Swan.'

'Cullen, this has to be a secret. I can't lose my job. I'm still your boss, and you still have to treat me like it at work, no matter the time.' I demanded. This would ruin my life, and I would be all to blame. Not only endangering mine, his would also be on me. Fun always comes at risks, and I'm a natrual worrier.

'Trust me, I'm good at keeping secrets.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' I asked quickly, surprised by his answer.

'Just pondering the untold.'

'I hate you.' I snickered, a smile creeping over my face.

'Good. I'm dangerous, you should probably stay away.'

'Are you always this cryptic?'

I didn't realize how fast time had gone, until he pulled up outside my apartment. It was almost eight o'clock, and Emmett and Rosalie were most definitely home.

'Thanks for the ride.'

'No problem. I'll wait here until you go in.'

'You don't have to do that.'

'I want to. Go, it's raining.'

I scowled at him and smiled, and ran out to the apartment steps and porch, pressing the buzzer for the apartment, because Emmett had the keys. After a solid three minutes, and no response, I looked up and down the door, hoping they would come out. I noticed a white piece of paper slipped under the door, and picked it up.

_Bella, we've gone out. Hopefully we'll be back before you get this, we're staying the night at Rose's house. I'll see you tomorrow._

Great, he forgot about the keys and won't be home until later. Excellent. Upon this note, I realised how much I needed to move out. But one problem at a time, please. Realising that Edward was still waiting potentially for me to go inside, I ran back towards him, getting my almost dry hair wet again. He rolled down the window, his face scrunching in confusion.

'Emmett and Rosalie are staying at her place tonight, and I don't have keys. I'll wait here until then. See you on Monday.'

He raised his eyebrow at me. 'You can crash at my place for tonight. Not for that,' he said as he noticed my horrified expression, 'You can't stay out here all night, it's recklessly dangerous.'

'I like danger, and I've stayed out here before.' I interjected, but he clearly wasn't buying it. Come on, you can't stay out here. Please, Bella.'

'No…'

'Get in the damn car, Bella. Before I drag you in.' Despite the threat, I was smiling when I pulled the door open. Like a teenager.

'Thanks.'

But I was pretty sure I was thankful for more than one thing. A dangerous thing, when it came to Edward Cullen.

When we walking in his apartment, I did a double take. It was like walking into a house. Of course, stupid, it is a house. It made my apartment look that a shoebox. The interior was white and black, clean, like a hospital and the door lead into the living area that connected to the hallway and opened to a hallway-like-tunnel, with more rooms leading of it.

'Do you like it?' He asked, as he threw his jacket on the table, and walked over to the TV on the east wall, turning it onto the cooking channel.

'It's okay.' It was so much better than okay, but I didn't want my materialistic side to come out. Money wasn't something I was okay with being part of the deal. Money had never impressed me, and money was a partner in crime with gifts.

'I'm glad. Are you hungry, I can order some Chinese or something?'

'No thanks, I'm fine.' Snakes were currently feasting on my stomach lining and crawling up my oesophagus, but I decided to keep that information to myself.

'Okay. Do you want to watch a movie? I'll watch it with you.'

'How about Hannah Montana; the Movie?' I asked, seriously.

His expression almost made me laugh out loud. A mix of disgust and disbelief.

'I have made it my objective to keep that out of my collection – infinitely.'

'What about Zombie land then? Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone are a mixture too good to deny.'

'Okay.' He pulled out the film and with some effort, it was playing on his screen.

'You should get changed, your shirt's got blood on it. I have some shorts and a t-shirt you can wear. They're a bit big, but more comfortable.'

He walked into a room that I presumed was his own, and in an instant was by my side, giving me some blue silk boxers and a white t-shirt.

'Is there a bathroom...?'

'Yeah, down the hall.'

Once I got my body through the right holes and looked like an over-sized lump of clothing, I walked back into the room, and my stomach growled as the smell of pizza filled my nostrils. He was eating and watching the opening credits when I walked in, embarrassed and therefore blushing, I recalled my favorite quote from Shrek as a child.

_Donkey: We can stay up late, swapping manly stories, and in the morning, I'm making waffles!_

Fairy tales aren't far off the truth sometimes.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey. Thank you for the reviews I've been getting recently, and some creative criticism I received. Thank you for making me aware that my writing style was getting a bit…teenager-y. Will work on that. So, how's everyone responding to the story? It's progressing slowly, but hopefully it still is exciting enough for people to continue on. Please keep in mind that this is my first Fanfic story, and criticism is invited. 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' right? I'm thinking about adding different Point of Views to the story, if you profusely dislike this idea, do tell.

Chapter Six.

Some fairy tales should be knocked over the head with a baseball bat, sworn at several times, punched in all areas of the body, and then, finally, get kicked in the nuts. Just my opinion.

That is what I imagined doing to Edward Cullen later that evening.

Now, don't get me wrong. Things were going fine. Watching a movie and eating. Perfectly innocent stuff, as innocent as you can be when you've basically agreed to be Friends-with-benefits with the person sitting arms reach away from you. Things were silent, I was relishing in the tension, and he seemed to be at ease with the silence between us as the movie sounds filled his really nice apartment. I had already asked 'to be excused' to go to the toilet, to wit he laughed. It seemed like a person showing up at the door would be a saviour to ease my pain at the awkwardness that was eating at me. But instead of the door, Edward got a phone call.

I watched him as he pulled out his iPhone, and with a professionalism for someone who was new at their job, said a dignified, 'Cullen.' But then I reminded myself that he was pretty famous for all American Baseball players and fans, and he probably had more professionalism than I did.

'No. No. That's not what we agreed. Please. More time. I'm not ready yet. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Say Hi to Alice and Jasper for me. Okay.' He cast a sideways glance at me in my staring at him. I jerked my head away immediately, embarrassed to be caught ogling him. 'Okay,' he lowered his voice. 'Love you too, Mom. Bye.'

His Mom? Edward Cullen was a momma's boy? He glared at me, and I had unintentionally spoken out loud. I blushed crimson, expecting a laugh off, or a 'yeah.'

'What I do with my family is none of your business, Isabella.' His tone was sharp and brusque. I startled me, and my mouth dropped open to form a silent O. 'We're not together. I've explained that. The only reason you're here is that leaving you there on that sidewalk would be dangerous and reckless. We are not together. My personal life is of no concern of yours.'

A few thoughts rushed through my head. What was his problem? Why was he lashing out at me? What had I done? And with those thoughts, I was uncharacteristically angry.

'You're personal life is no concern of mine? We're sleeping together. That seems pretty personal.' I said, my tone speaking legions.

'You knew what you we're getting yourself into when you said yes. Or do I have to remind you? Are you that dense that you can't remember a conversation we had a little more than three hours ago?'

My face fell. Dense?

'I'm sorry-'

'No, you're not. You do this all the time. Play people. And yes, I did say yes because I knew what I was getting myself into. Don't you think that I would know you're type already? You're not the first faker that has ever waltzed into my life. Don't kid yourself, Cullen.' What? Where was this bravery coming from? I usually slank into the shadows when it came to confrontation. Now I was welcoming it head on. Edward's face was hard, his breathing slow, like he was trying to calm down. His eyes weren't narrowed, but they seemed to be slightly darker, probably from the lights.

'For someone who admittedly said yes to me, you seem to be having trouble admitting it to yourself. I come at a price, and time is of the essence.' He stopped the movie, and turned to face me. My face felt hot and I suddenly wanted to go home. Right then.

'You come at a price? What the hell? Just because I won't jump into bed with you the moment you declare fit, am I now a prude? I'm not cheap, Edward. I have my morals.'

'You seem to be such a woman of God.' He said, scoffing. I was embarrassed to be called out like that, so bashfully. I felt ashamed at my actions, but he was a lot worse than I am, or would ever be.

He continued on, having a lot to say about my alleged innocence, 'Morals? You're talking about Morals? You live with your boss. You probably got the job because of my brother, and you aren't even moving out yet. He told me that you won't. Something with Rose or money. I thought hanging around with people from work would be more than natural to you.'

'How dare you-'

'Not only that, but everyone knows of your prudence towards sexual innuendos.'

'I still confirm that Sam Uley broke his own hand.'

'Right.' He pressed play again, and I stood up, grabbing my purse and whatever dignity I could hold.

'Where are you going?' He was standing up now, facing me. He didn't look angry anymore. Concerned, disgruntled and a bit shocked, to be honest.

'I'm leaving.' I said with an 'are-you-stupid' look and tone. He had insulted me enough for one night. I had thick skin but I wasn't going to sit here and let Mr Morals tell me what to do.

'_Why?'_

'Why do you think?'

'I'm sorry for what I said earlier, that was unprofessional.'

'I just want to go home now,' I said in a small voice. I felt like an eight year old who wanted to leave a birthday party, only to be scolded by her father.

He grabbed his keys from his pocket, and walked past me to the grey front door.

'Let me drive you.'

'No, I'll walk.'

'In boxer shorts?'

'I'll pretend to be a homeless person.' I suggested, and watched as he sighed in exasperation. I could tell I was winning this argument. It was about nine, and it was only a thirty minute walk. The streets would be lined with teenagers and movie-goers as the Cinemax was basically a block away, so I didn't feel like this was a particularly reckless endeavor. Or I'll put on tights in the elevator.

'Fine. Walk, but ring me when you get home.'

'What is your obsession with avoiding reckless and dangerous behavior?'

'I don't have an obsession of reckless and dangerous behavior. I have an obsession with…never mind. Ring me, I mean it.' He handed me his jacket, which I thought was unnecessary but nice.

'I don't have your number.' Please don't give me your number. Please don't give me your number. Please don't give-

'Here.' He handed me a small piece of paper with his phone number scrawled onto it in elegant, cursive handwriting. An address was attached at the bottom.

'Thanks. I had a…nice time. Thanks for dinner. I'll pay you back when we see each other next.' I mumbled as I put my feet into my converses, not bothering about socks.

'Sure.'

With one final glance at him, I opened the door, and closed it behind me.

The walk was longer than I anticipated. And colder. Even with Edward's jacket and the tights I forced on in the elevator, I hoped that they didn't have security cameras, it was bitterly cold and the streets were wet from the rain. I had been walking for about forty-five minutes. I wasn't lost, but I didn't know precisely where to turn. My phone didn't have GPS capabilities, so that option was void. My phone. I could ring Emmett and ask him to come and get me, or to tell me what street to turn. I plunged my hand into my tight pocket, only to find it wasn't there. I had left my phone at Edwards. Damn. I turned into a street slightly lit by a bookstore that was open late nights. The store wasn't familiar, I had never been here before. Other stores were grey and monotone, closed and looked to be closed down for good. I hurriedly walked into the bookstore, hoping to find someone who knew where to go or had a map.

The bell dinged on the door as I entered. The store smelt of herbs and old books, and it was warmer than outside. A woman was pricing books, and I walked towards her.

'Um, excuse me.'

The woman turned to face me. She was young, about five or so years older than me, with black hair and startling green eyes. But more than that, her face was marked. A long scar marred the left side of her face, from the crease of her eye down to her chin. I immediately turned my eyes away, wanting not to offend her by staring.

'Hi, I'm Emily. Can I help you?' She was polite and I immediately didn't feel nervous anymore.

'Bella. Nice to meet you. I'm sorry, but I'm a bit lost.' I gave her my address and she immediately launched into a detailed description to how to get home. I listened carefully, and thanked her to leave when she grabbed my arm, gently.

'Would you mind please just buying something before you leave? I'm almost closed and I'm three dollars under the closing price for today. My husband will get so mad at me if I'm under budget.' Her husband? She was married? Did he do that to her face? I grabbed a five dollar not from my tights and bought the closest book I saw. It was blue and had an Indian face etched into the leather.

'Thank you so much. Really.'

'Least I could do, Emily. I'm Bella Swan, hopefully we'll meet again.'

'Emily Clearwater. Me too.'

'Leah's cousin? Did you keep your name?'

'Yeah, to both. Did you go to school with her?'

'No, she lives on the other side of the Forks reservation. I don't think she liked me very much. I'll have to see you when I come down to Forks next. Do you live there?'

'Yeah, with my husband. I'd love to catch up again.'

'It's a date, then.' I thanked her again and walked out of the store, trying to remember the way to get home. Thankfully, I did.

Even with Emily's directions, my own sense of direction hadn't improved much. I came to this conclusion when I ran into a brick wall.

I was walking down a street that was supposed to lead to the main road, when I was met by a concrete wall. It was dark, and from the moon's light I could only just see into the alley. I started to walk back the way I came, when I heard noises.

Booming, drunk, male laughter. My footsteps stopped immediately. I held my breath as they walked down the street that I wanted to retrace, praying that they wouldn't see me. Bad things happen after two a.m. close enough.

The came closer to me, when one saw me. How he did with his blurred vision and the darkness of the entrance of the alley, I'll never know.

I heard whispering and the footsteps coming closer. I backed further into the alleyway, as they approached the entrance. I could make out four of them. I did my best to remember what I could of self-defense from PE. Palm to the nose. Knee groin. Punches. But even with four of them, I would never win.

'Hey, don't bee scared of us, dearly. We just want to talk.'

'Stay away from me!' My throat was dry, my heartbeats filled my ears. The warning came out as a whisper.

As they moved closer, and I readied my mouth for a scream, bright lights filled the alley. It startled me, as I saw death itself launching out of a car and heading towards us. 'Bella, come here now.'

I ran past the men as they cowered from the light. I didn't need further instruction. I jumped in the passenger seat of the car and buckled in, ready to speed away, when the figure hopped in beside me and drove away, well past the insane speed limit.

I tried to scream when a voice silenced me. 'It's me. Edward. Don't scream.'

'Oh okay. Slow down.'

'Are you alright?' He said, ignoring my request.

'I'll be okay.'

'You must be scared, in shock, something. Why are you so calm?' Edward was confused, obviously.

'I'm good at reactions.'

'I'll say.' We sat in silence for a moment, my head following Emily's instructions with the car's lights acting as a guide I didn't have when I was walking.

'Were you stalking me? How did you know where I was?'

'You left your phone. I came tried to deliver it to your house, but no one was home. So I started looking to make sure you hadn't got lost.'

'Thanks.'

'You should listen to me more. You could have been hurt tonight.'

'I'm starting to think that you're obsession with avoiding reckless behaviour isn't that unjust.' I had started to shake slightly as visions of the men streaked through my head.

'It's not. Trust me, I know how to keep people safe, and I know what is dangerous.'

'How do you know?'

'Let's just say that people can get hurt really easily.' There was a final note in his tone. 'It just makes me so sick that people would actually do that to women on the street. They should be thrown in jail, arrested, hit, anything else. What they do is just sick!'

'Edward, calm down. It happens, it's disgusting, but you can't change it by yourself. The police and everyone else does their best. The people who do it will go to hell, Edward.'

'I don't think it's enough.'

'Neither do I.'

I was almost at my apartment, when I reached out to turn the heater setting up. Through multiple layers of clothing, I was freezing. Shaking, I tried to turn the dial when he caught my hand. His hands were warm and gentle.

'You're shaking. You're in shock.'

'Probably.'

'I'm taking you to my place. I'm not leaving you by yourself tonight.'

'I'm fine.'

'No, you're not.'

'Are you always this caring?' I asked softly. 'Is it just this topic or is this your real personality, underneath all the bravado you usually hold?'

'I'm caring for lots of reasons. Firstly, it's the topic. Secondly, it's in my nature to care. Carlisle's a doctor. He raised me to care about other people. And thirdly, well, it's you.'

The conversation ended there when his words made me think. As the dim street lights flashed past us as he drove twenty miles above the speed limit, my eyelids started to droop. The last thing I heard was the soft tunes of his radio as darkness overwhelmed reality.

_The men came closer, their footsteps slow and unstable. I saw them transform, their faces turning into animals as fear ran through me. Some were deer, some panthers, and some wolves. Indian headrest feathers tangled the wold's fur. The scenery shifted, until I saw the forest from outside my home in Forks. The animals were gone, I was in a dead patch of grass, like a meadow. Everything was silent as I looked around. Charlie, my dad, came closer to me, sad. 'You'll never love me as you do your mother.' Those words had haunted me through my childhood. The sadness he held towards me, like I was nothing. A reminder of a disappointment. He disappeared, everything shimmering and sparkling until I was in the alley again, yet everything was darker and wet, raining. A young girl ran past me, black hair like a ravens as she screamed, whipping my face. I could hear her heels clicking on the concrete. I could feel her fear. I had lived it. Men chased her as deathly figure seemed to follow, and the girl's screaming became more and more livid. I screamed too. The scene shifted again, until I was walking down towards a church alter. Yet there was no groom. Only the bride. Everything turned to darkness. The scene lightened again and became a golden brown. Mirrors lined the walls. I saw a little girl crying in a tutu, staring at a broken mirror with blood stains. Then I realized she was me. The girl grabbed her hair, frustrated at what she could never accomplish. The scene shifted again, until a person with flames on her head look towards me, smiling cruelly, as if knowing all my mistakes and desires. The scene shifted back towards the alley, where the girl with dark hair lay on the ground, slowly going from dark to a bright, stunning white light. Black hair and white skin. Black and white. Her eyes opened._

I was screaming. I screamed, unable to stop. I clawed at my face, trying to stop the screaming and fear. I shook, grabbing sheets around me, my eyes still closed.

'Bella! Bella! Open your eyes!' Someone was shaking me, and I forced my eyelids to open. I still screamed, unable to find my mouth. 'Shh. It's okay.' Edward sat me up, and held me against him as the screaming faded, rocking back and forth. He was warm against my cold skin. 'It was just a nightmare. Not real. You're safe now.'

'No. No. No….' I thought back to the girl in the alley. 'No. No. No.'

'Edward.'

'Yes?'

'Make the pain go away. Please. Make the fear leave.'

And with a small kiss to my lips, breaking his ultimate rule, the fear started to ease.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Edward knelt above me, as I lay on his soft black bedspread. He was shirtless, and I was fully clothed and unusually warm. He observed me, his eyes doing all the talking as his lips spread into a sly smile. His ice-cold fingers tailed over my bare shoulders, along my neck, to the edge of my shirt. He kissed my neck softly as he started to undo the buttons of my shirt, fingers lingering. His eyes were doing more to me than those kisses had. He pulled my shirt off and blew on my pale stomach, and I whimpered, anticipation making my skin crawl. He reached the button on my shorts, and slipped them off down my slender legs, taking his time. I was feeling fluttery all over. He lay above me, body pressing into mine. My hands went to his own hands, moving them along my stomach, my legs and my hips. His fingers played with the underwear on my hips, holding the fabric tightly. He breathed in, and my breathing stopped all together. 'Ready?' He asked, tracing small circles on the skin he had revealed on my hips. 'I'm…'_

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

'What?' I said, groaning with sleep. Eyes closed, I felt the buzzing in my pocket of the tights I was wearing. I fished my phone out, eyes closed. 'Yeah?'

'Bella, where are you?'

'Emmett!' My eyes jerked open immediately, and I saw where I was. I was in a bed with a black bedspread. The room was big, with dressers and books and CD's lining the walls, obviously a master bedroom. But the most startling thing was that there was a body next to mine. Edward Cullen's body.

'Um, Emmett, can I call you back?' I whispered, not wanting to wake him and face the wrath of a sleep-deprived male.

'Bella, this is important.'

'Okay, hold on.' I was fully dressed, thank God. I pulled the duvet off and left the warm and comfortable bed. Casting a glance at Edward, I walked outside the room and shut the door with a click. I left the main room with the kitchen and lounge room and walked into the hall.

'I can talk now. What is it?'

'It's Rose.' He sounded stressed and confused.

'I'm going to need a little bit more than that.' This was no time for guessing.

'Rose…she's acting strange. She's locked herself in the bathroom and won't come out. I don't know what to do. She's crying and she says she wants to talk to you. Please, Bella, I need to know what's going on here.'

'Me? As in me, me?'

'Yes. Please come here, we're at home. She's getting louder and she's, I don't even know. She's just off.'

'Okay, I'll be right there.' I hung up and walked back into Edward's apartment. I walked into his bedroom where he was still asleep. I grabbed my shoes from beside the door and my purse which was resting neatly on the bedside table. I ran my fingers through my hair and washed my face in the bathroom. What the hell is wrong with Rosalie? She wants to talk to me? What on earth about?

I hesitantly left the bathroom, ready to leave. Edward would freak out if I wasn't here when he woke up. I found a bit on paper in a desk which had a computer resting on it, and scrawled him a note with a pen, explaining that something came up and I was sorry. I left it on the kitchen counter and walked out of the apartment, to catch the bus back to my house.

When I got there, Emmett was in havoc. Baking.

'Hey,' I said cautiously.

I had never seen Emmett bake before. My shock was written all over my face.

'She's in the bathroom.'

'I noticed that.' There was wails coming from that direction. I threw my purse on the counter and ran down the hall to the bathroom. I softly knocked on the door. 'Rose. It's me.'

'Come, come in, B-Bella.' I walked inside to see the beautiful Rosalie Hale crying, sitting on a toilet, holding a packet. She looked broken. Eye makeup smeared on her face

'Rose, what's wrong?'

'I- I'm not pregnant.' Rosalie had been disappointed by not getting pregnant before, but never like this. I knelt down in front of her. 'Start from the beginning. Tell me the whole story.'

'E-Emmett and I went to the doctor to see wh-why we couldn't get pregnant three months ago, but l-last month I went alone.' She said, snivelling and avoiding eye contact with me. She studied the thing in her hand with intense concentration.

'The doctor did some tests and then gave me these pills,' she handed me the packet she was holding, tears in her eyes. It was a prescription drug called Clomiphene. 'They're supposed to help me ov…ovulate. I've been on them for four weeks now and nothing had happened, except I missed one. But now, Bella, I'm _bleeding_.' She started to cry harder, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. 'So this means,' I said, connecting the dots Rosalie had provided. 'It means I can't ever get pregnant.' She had stopped crying, feeling all the pain on the inside. I hugged her, and the floodwaters broke. She cried, and cried. 'I can't have a _baby. No, no, no.' _Rosalie was made to be a mother, it was her dream, amongst modelling.

'Emmett will hate me,' she sobbed, and I stroked her tangled hair.

'Shh, no he won't. He'll understand.' I cooed.

'No, Bella, he will. All he ever talks about is having a little boy to teach football to and talk about women too. He always makes jokes but he wants a baby as much as I do. If I tell him, he'll hate me. It has to be our secret. Please.'

'He'll figure it out eventually, Rose.'

'I'll tell him, I'll tell him I'm pregnant.'

'_What?'_

'Just for a few months, and I'll tell him I lost it. And that I'm too scared to try again.' She played with a hair tie on her wrist.

'That's not a good idea, Rose. You could lose him by doing something like that.'

She suddenly grabbed my arm, nails digging into my skin. '_I love him! _I would prefer to have three or four months with him pretending than to have him leave me right now. He'll leave me for someone else who can give him a baby. I love him so much, I can't let him go! Please! If you fell in love, you'd understand.'

'Ow, Rose! Fine!' I thought about how I would do anything for a person I love. 'This can be our secret. Just think about what you're doing before you tell him you're pregnant. Is this worth it?' She let go of my arm.

'Love is worth anything.' She said, with a crazed look in her wet blue eyes.

'It's your decision.' I shut the bathroom door, hard, behind me, to be met by Emmett in oven mitts. 'What's going on?'

'She has food poisoning. Doesn't want you to see her sick. Just leave her for now, she'll be fine.' Avoiding his eyes, I could hear the guilt in my voice. Now I was lying to him.

'Thanks, Bella. That's a relief.' He walked away to pull a cake out of the oven, still tense. Leaving me and my guilt in the silence.

Work proved eventful the following day, Monday.

Somehow, word had gotten out that I spent Saturday night with my co-worker and everyone appeared to have the same impression that we slept together. In the literal sense, we did, in their sense, we didn't.

Mike Newton approached me before work, concern on his face. 'So, Bella, I heard that you and that Cullen guy were hanging out the other day.' I stopped walking.

'What are you getting at, Mike?'

'Are you two together now?'

'What? Who did you hear that from?'

'Jessica said that she saw you guys at the hospital in Forks, and he picked you up afterwards. She said you looked well, _really_ relieved.'

I crossed my arms, as we walked through the office doors and handed in our ID badges. 'It was cold, wet, I had just got out of hospital, and I wanted to go home. That doesn't make me his old lady now. I'm practically a woman of God. I don't date much.' Excluding recent times.

'Sorry, Jessica's really nice so I put two and two together. And I thought you weren't religious.'

'I found faith when I was in the hospital. And she's nice to you because she likes you Mike.' I stated as we slid into the elevator, and pressed the button to the fifth floor.

'Jess? No. We were friends in high school and...' He was blushing, usually that was my feat.

'I remember, I was there. She liked you all through high school and now, I guess it was like kindling on a fire. I'd embrace it, she clearly likes you a lot.' Obviously. Jessica Stanley doted on Mike, but he didn't reciprocate all through high school because he told me he liked someone else. He didn't tell me who, but she apparently had long brown hair and a heart-shaped face. The elevator doors dinged open to show Victoria standing before us, obviously waiting for someone.

'Hey, Vic. Who's in trouble today?' She was standing before us with her curly hair down, obviously a bad sign as she hated it when her hair was down. Her delicate face was pinched in annoyance, and she appraised us with narrowed green eyes.

'Miss Swan, I need to see you in my office. _Now._' She said to me, leaving Mike and I in united stunned silence. She turned away, red hair bouncing around her head. She pushed it away with ferocity, and glanced back at me to make sure I was following. '_Now_, Miss Swan.'

I hurriedly followed her, smoothing out my formal jacket and skinny blue jeans. I followed her into her office, leaving the door open. I took a seat at her desk and she sat down, facing me.

'Bella, there's been some allegations that you and Mr Cullen are…how to put this delicately?'

'Shacking up?' I suggested, unfazed. Damn Jessica to the pits of hell.

'Basically. I understand how you can be transfixed by the man, he is good looking and famous, but I need to know that these allegations are incorrect. Or if they're not, that they need to start being incorrect as of now.'

'Victoria, we're not together.'

'That's not what I'm asking.'

'You think we're sleeping together?' I asked in disbelief. How had she known?

'It's been known that some people are involved in romances in the workplace. In some circumstances it is appropriate, but this isn't one of them.' She said, her tone sharp and cutting.

'What would happen if the allegations are correct?' She raised an eyebrow. 'Not that they are, but if they were what would be the repercussions?'

'Bella, I need you focused on the article.' She said, avoiding the question. 'You've been keeping up but if you want that promotion you need to start working on it now. Baseball is a huge break I've given you two, it's the Olympics and I've spoken to James, if we cover this, and this is good, it could go international.'

'What? We could go internationally? Seriously, _the Seattle Times_?'

'Yes. You see the urgency now? And we'd change the names. We were thinking _Seattle International_. You're one of the best writers here Bella, we need you to be focused.'

'I understand, but can I be an international writer? Am I ready for that?'

'If you wanted to be. I know that you prefer writing Literature, Shakespeare and such, and if you helped us build the company to the level that James and I are working to, you could get a job writing anywhere. We'd both get you sparkling recommendations and you'd be writing with whoever you wanted to.'

'That's, that's amazing. Okay, I can assure you that the allegations are incorrect.' To a certain limit. 'But what would have been my consequence if it were true?' Curiosity getting the better of me, I had to ask. Victoria could be cruel, but she wasn't cold blooded.

'If it was serious, we'd consider making an exception. But if it's just two workers fucking each other,' Whoa. 'We'd have to tell James, and go higher up to the Board. And they could decide your fate, either getting fired or never writing with a company again.'

My blood ran cold. Never writing again. 'Okay, consider me safe. Thanks for telling me the whole _Seattle International _deal Victoria, it's probably private.'

'We're announcing it at the next staff meeting in a month, the week before we all fly off to London.' I stood up, and walked towards the door. I pulled it open, when Victoria grabbed my arm.

'Bella, just between you and me, is Mr Cullen single?'

'As of my recent knowledge, but _why? _You just told me that interwork relationships aren't allowed.'

'There can be exceptions. Bye, Bella.' She said, dismissing me, and closing the door loudly with a wink.

Once I got to my office, I found Edward already working on something on his laptop. I sat down across the table and fired my computer up, but waiting for it to kick-start into action, because of its ancient lifespan.

'So, I got your note.' He said, as I waited, removing one of his earphones. I was blushing, due to my dream from the other day.

'I had to go. Something came up.' Rosalie came up.

'So I read.'

After a minute or two, while my computer was still starting, I decided to tell him.

'Edward, we have to start working on the Olympic article now.'

'You haven't told me what we have to cover yet.' He took out his headphones and shut the laptop lid closed.

'Well, we have to cover baseball.' I whispered, trying to soften the blow.

He groaned. 'I knew it. I would have taken anything else but this.'

'It's a really big deal, Edward. If we do the baseball article well, we will boost the companies' benefactors, get more readers, we'll get noticed, and it's a great offer. You should have heard what Emmett and Dimitri got. Water Polo.'

He sighed deeply, leaning back in his swivel chair, suppressing a light laugh. 'You're right, but it's still where I was about to go if I hadn't injured myself. Damn. What will the press say?'

'Don't worry about them. Worry about where you are now, and the opportunity that we've been given. You can't live in the past, you can only focus on the future.'

Edward smiled at me, and then it was gone. 'You don't switch off, do you? You and your self-fulfilling prophesies about hard work.'

I smiled back. 'Never. Count on that.'

When I got home, Rosalie and Emmett were in a deep conversation. I could feel the tension in the room as soon as I entered our little apartment. As soon as I made myself present, Emmett and Rose jumped away from each other, like lightning.

'Uh, sorry for the interruption.'

'No big deal Bella. What do you guys want for dinner?' Rosalie asked, opening the panty door in our kitchen, and not waiting for a reply, starting pulling out ingredients for Chicken Tonight. Emmett was watching football, and I sat on the floor leaning against the couch. Rosalie was out of earshot.

'Emmett, can I talk to you about something?'

'Sure. I actually needed to talk to you about something too.'

'Okay, you go first.'

'Rose has received a new job offer, and I think she's going to take it. So she's going to make an announcement at dinner tomorrow.'

'Why tomorrow?'

'Because she wants to throw a dinner party with the family.'

'Your family?' Emmett didn't really agree with his family.

'That's what Esme strongly argues.'

'How, why, what happened to you? You've compared your family to Dracula and Jaws, in public company, I might add, and now they're staying for dinner?'

'When I was in the hospital, Esme came to visit me, and we hashed it all out. Carlisle too. Even Alice and Jasper. Everything's okay now.' Jasper is Emmett and Edward's metaphorical brother, I knew that. Alice was their adopted eighteen year old sister.

'That's great. I don't have to come to this dinner thing, do I?' He looked genuinely happy now talking about his family. Yes, you do. I want you there and Esme is dying to meet you. Edwards coming too, he said he wants to talk about the format of the piece you guys were writing. What did you need to tell me?'

'Um, well I thought you should hear it from me before you hear it along the Jessica Stanley vine. Edward and I are not together, obviously we're very different people. But we've got an arrangement.'

'What kind of arrangement?' I heard knuckled menacingly click in the background.

'An understanding of delicate matters.'

'Edward's uninvited. But I knew it! 'Format of the piece you are writing', what is that, like code for something?' He sounded annoyed and sickened.

'I can assure you, it is not a code. Why aren't you more like 'Oh my God, you're sleeping with my brother? That is disgusting! Is it a secret?'

'I'm like that on the inside. This information has scarred my brain, disturbed all my innocence. Though, is it a secret?'

'He willed me into it and yes, it's a secret.' I laughed, Emmett was using his disgusted voice.

'It's not disgusting that you guys are sleeping together outside of wedlock secretly, it's just disgusting that you've seen him naked.'

'Don't be such a girl about it, Emmett, it's not that big of a deal. And I haven't seen him naked yet.'

'Can you do me a favor?'

'Depends what kind of favor.'

He leaned down to my ear and whispered.

I smacked him over the head with the TV remote.

'GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER EMMETT!' And I walked into my bedroom, whilst hearing his booming laughter.

'Remember that everyone comes in all shapes and sizes, Bella. Want me to lend you a 'Where Did I Come From' book?'

'SHUT UP!'

The dinner party was surprisingly successful. I met Esme Cullen, whom I really liked as she had a motherly charm about her and she was perfectly polite. She was a small, petite sized woman, with caramel coloured hair and soft brown eyes. Alice Cullen, on the other hand, had every charm about her but motherly. She jumped on me the moment she saw me, excited and conversational. She was two years older than me. She was the embodiment of beautiful, so beautiful that Rosalie herself scowled at her. She was a smaller and skinner than Esme with cropped black hair and bright black eyes, that shined. She had pale skin like the rest of her family. She took an intense liking to me, saying that she could just tell we were going to be good friends. After about thirty minutes of talking at me, which I didn't dare interrupt, Jasper arrived.

He was Texan, which both surprised me and amused me. He approached me with a shy smile.

'Good evenin' ma'am. I'm Jasper.'

'Good evenin' to you too, brother. I'm Emmett.' Emmett came up to us immediately, before I could greet Jasper back, intimidating his accent hilariously. 'He always lays his accent on when he's around the ladies, it's like the equivalent to a voice break.'

Jasper scowled at him, and I laughed. 'I'm sure it isn't. You should hear Emmett voice when he saw a centipede last month. He screamed so loud that I thought Justin Bieber fans were outside our house.'

'When Emmett was in college, he was a Justin Bieber fan.'

'Oh really, Emmett?'

'He's an aspiring teenage rock star from Canada. It's _the Biebs_!'

'Come on, sing us a round of One Less Lonely Girl. Or I could show Bella a recording on my phone?' He laughingly said, and Emmett became shocked.

'You wouldn't.'

'You know I have before.'

I knew from that point of that Jasper and I were going to be great friends. Before I could enlighten Jasper with more Emmett stories, Edward came towards us holding a glass out for me.

'Bella, can I talk to you for a minute?' He looked casual, but there was a brisk tone to his voice. I glanced nervously at Jasper, who was engaged in conversation with Alice, and she was enthralled in conversation, giggling. I glanced at Emmett, who raised his eyebrows at me, smirking.

'Sure.' I said to Edward, and he grabbed my arm and dragged me into a secluded corner of the room, next to the bar.

'Um, someone is going to be joining us for dinner.' He said and took a sip of his drink. Scotch. Typical, I thought.

'Who?' I asked, taking a sip of my drink.

'Victoria.'

My champagne went up my nose. 'My boss, Victoria?!'

'Who else?' He looked passive.

'But why? What are you thinking?

'Because she and I are…somewhat together. Like myself and you.'

'What?'

'I don't have to explain anything to you.' He started to walk away, but I put my glass down and grabbed his arm, hard. Alice was glancing over at us, confused. But I couldn't care less.

'The hell you don't. I thought you were with only me!'

'Keep your voice down!' He whispered. 'I told you. Non-exclusive.' He closed his eyes, breathing out. I had been told he had a horrible temper, but othertimes he was a complete gentleman. Maybe he's bipolar. Bipolar and disturbed.

'So am I not satisfying you, am I?' I said loud enough that no one would hear us.

'Well, considering the fact that we haven't even had sex yet, I'd say yes.'

'Does she know I'm here too?' I ignored his last remark.

'Yes. I told her you're friends with Emmett and you were invited.'

'Great.' I said, sarcasm lacing the word. His face darkened, he had told me he hated sarcasm at work, and I had purposely said it to irritate him.

The funny thing was, I knew I shouldn't care that he was interested in someone else. He had laid out the rules clearly at the start of this relationship. But the fact he felt that he needed to have two women with him disgusted and irritated me. It made me feel inadequate.

'Fine. You want me to fuck you? Meet me at my house afterwards, and you can be 'satisfied.'' With childish dramatics, I stormed away from him, as the doorbell rang to reveal Victoria, smirking like a cat that got the cream.

Esme was a good cook. I would give her that. She baked a roast dinner that had my mouth watering, and everyone exquisitely full. I, still in my childish demeanour, was avoiding the piercing green eyes of Edward. Refusing to blush and give away my true thoughts which threated to scream, I engaged in conversation with Alice about her job. Apparently she designed clothes, and helped Esme with interior design. I had no idea that Esme even worked.

Alice, Esme and I were talking about design of fashion and how that would help Esme with her own career (turns out Alice has a knack for colour schemes and different types of wood), Emmett was engaging in talk about Grand Theft Auto with Jasper and Edward, Carlisle and Victoria were deep in discussion, but I could tell Edward was staring at me when Rose emerged from the kitchen, with a bottle of champagne.

Clearing her throat and nervously brushing her hair behind her shoulders, she called everyone's attention.

'I would like to make an announcement. Two days ago, I received a job offer at Ralph Lauren to be a part of their runway team for their fall catalogue. It's a huge opportunity, and Emmett and I are thinking about moving out of Seattle anyway.'

What? The whole table looked happy and surprised at this.

'The money is massive, and it would make me famous and in demand for other agencies. I have been thinking about it a lot…'

She drifted off mid-sentence, adding suspense to the big reveal that she decided to take it. And I thought I was dramatic.

'And I decided to reject the offer.'

There was a surprised silence spread over the table. Even Emmett looked dumbfounded. Alice was the one who broke it.

'But, why?'

'Because.' Rosalie Hale put her manicured hand on her stomach.

Oh god no. Please no, Rose. I tried to send telepathic thoughts to her.

'I'm pregnant.'

There was no silence at the table. Everyone exploded into admiration and adoration for the happy couple, but Esme said that she was expecting there to be a wedding first. More like scorned Emmett, but her traditional values were compromised by her glee to be having a grandchild.

As Emmett was being cheered on by the guys and Alice and Esme were in conversation about the nursery, I grabbed Rose and demanded answers.

'What are you doing?' I demanded, towering over her even in my sneakers.

'I'm trying to keep Emmett happy. I'll get pregnant for sure in the next month, I promise.' She almost had be convinced with those baby blue eyes.

'Are you insane? You can't keep a secret like this, Rosalie. What about doctors' appointments? What about the money?'

'Emmett has a secure job that can provide. But you'll need to move out, Bella, we can't have you live with us forever. You are twenty-four, you need to leave the nest sometime. And I'll be expecting you to help me arrange doctors' appointments. You have lots of friends, I'm sure you could arrange something to make everyone believe. Please.' She held my hand that was sweating so hard from tension.

I pulled my hand out of her grip. 'I would move out if you were actually pregnant. And I will not help you fool your family and loved ones. This is madness! If you don't tell Emmett, I will.'

She smiled, somewhat menacing. She grabbed my hand again, and wouldn't let go. Her red nails matched her dress. 'And how do you think he'll react knowing his best friend lied to him. He'll be ropable with you, and in doubtfully kick you out of the apartment. Then you'll be living on the streets. If you say anything to him, you'll be relying on Daddy to help you. Living in Forks would bring back great memories, won't it, Bella?' She batted her eyelashes at me.

'That's none of your business. Emmett was never supposed to tell you about my life in Forks.'

'He did. So help me, or it's your neck on the line too.' With that, she went to join into the festivities.

_Keep on reading, and thank you. _


End file.
